Residents of Lagos Island, Lekki, and Ikota have decried persistent flooding that left their properties, colleges, and companies submerged after heavy rainfall earlier within the week, even because the state authorities defended its response efforts.
At Jankarra Market and Itafaji, stagnant water lingered days after the downpour, disrupting actions at retailers, colleges, bakeries, and locations of worship.
Residents mentioned the foul-smelling swimming pools had been changing into a well being hazard.
“Our situation is brought on by ongoing drainage works. Even when it doesn’t rain, the water refuses to go. We’re frightened about sicknesses,” Abdulkareem Hammed, a resident, informed PREMIUM TIMES on Friday night.
One other resident, Kunle Sodiq, added that he might solely entry his home by way of stagnant, soiled water.
In an announcement on Friday, the Commissioner for Setting and Water Sources, Tokunbo Wahab, defended the state authorities’s efforts, stressing that flooding in Lagos was pushed by geography and local weather realities relatively than political failings.
He defined that Lagos, like Venice, Bangkok, and Jakarta, is a low-lying coastal metropolis liable to “tide-locking.”
“When heavy rain falls similtaneously a excessive tide, drains can not empty quick sufficient into the lagoon or ocean,” he mentioned. “It’s like attempting to pour water uphill. The water backs up till the tide recedes.”
Mr Wahab mentioned this was the case in Lekki, the place intense rainfall coincided with excessive sea ranges.
Flood management technique
The commissioner outlined the federal government’s three-part method: quickly storing rainwater in property lakes or basins, widening and clearing drainage channels, and putting in pumps or one-way valves in low-lying areas.
He mentioned upkeep and enforcement had restored greater than 40 kilometres of canals, whereas 218 new drainage tasks masking about 1,500 kilometres had been underway.
A brand new pumping station on Lagos Island, he added, was present process checks at Ilubirin.
Mr Wahab defined that near-term measures embrace clearing choke factors in Ajiran and Agungi, putting in particles screens on culverts to catch plastic waste, and piloting property lakes to soak up stormwater.
He additionally mentioned longer-term plans contain constructing pumped drainage cells, restoring wetlands, and updating constructing codes to require stormwater detention in new housing estates.
“Floods are pushed by physics, not politics,” he mentioned. “Our plan is to retailer, transfer and management water—backed by upkeep, enforcement and early warning.”
Mr Wahab tied flooding to poor waste disposal, saying clogged drains worsened waterlogging.
He famous that the state had banned Styrofoam and would start imposing restrictions on single-use plastics from July.
In keeping with him, Lagos is increasing waste services and planning a 60–80 MW waste-to-energy plant in Epe to curb indiscriminate dumping.
Criticism
Regardless of the assurances, some residents and commentators blamed authorities insurance policies.
On social media platform X, consumer @Jolson argued that sand filling at Bar Seashore displaced seawater into different low-lying communities.
“Water will at all times discover its stage,” he wrote. “The levees at Bar Seashore have pushed water into different plains. Lagos flooding is man-made.”
One other consumer, @De Sol, disagreed, saying the declare oversimplified advanced hydrological dynamics.
Unlawful constructions
Mr Wahab mentioned some flooding was worsened by human actions, citing Kusenla, the place a survey confirmed the downstream channel was 1.2 metres larger than the drainage line.
He mentioned a pumping mission had been awarded to repair the issue.
He additionally blamed unlawful building on floodplains and indiscriminate dumping across the Home on the Rock church in Lekki.
“These sorts of actions worsen flooding and should cease,” he warned, including that unlawful constructions and land reclamations with out clearance could be eliminated.
Though Mr Wahab mentioned Wednesday’s flash floods had receded, PREMIUM TIMES noticed stagnant water in components of Lagos Island on Thursday.
Residents worry the swimming pools pose rising well being and security dangers because the wet season deepens.
“The ministry stays dedicated to strengthening flood administration methods,” the commissioner mentioned. “However this effort requires the help and accountable actions of all Lagosians.”
