Lagos State Government on Tuesday renewed its warning to owners of all structures on drainage alignments and setbacks to relocate to higher grounds as heavy rainfall intensifies in the state.
This was disclosed in a statement released by the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tunji Bello.
According to the statement, many of such buildings “have already been marked in Mende, Maryland and Aboru in Alimosho for infringing on drainage alignments and may soon be demolished.”
The Commissioner lamented that those who ought to have relocated from such locations have “rather resort to cheap blackmail of having nowhere to relocate.”
Bello, who spoke against the background of a viral video of some people being rescued in Mende, emphasised that the area is a low-lying flood plain while the broadcast affirmed that the Office of Drainage services had marked all the buildings.
He noted that the location is the drainage route for all the water coming from Agindigbi, Oregun, Opebi, Allen, GRA, Maryland up to Ogudu Foreshore.
“It is time for the residents of all such areas in the State to hearken to the voice of reason by relocating to safeguard lives and property”, Bello said.
While pleading for calm from all residents, he stated that the drainages have the capacity to contain water runoff when the rain stops just as it is happening already.
Bello said the heavy torrential rainfall which started in the early hours of Monday and still continued on Tuesday afternoon has caused flash floods in many areas.
“Residents are assured that within four hours after the rainfall ceases, the water level of the lagoon will go down because the flood will flow into the major collectors to enable the water on the roads and streets to recede”, the Commissioner explained.
