Lagos Residents Urge Efficient Drainage System

Some residents of Surulere
Local Government Area of Lagos State have urged the  government to provide efficient drainage system for easy flow of water in the area.
The residents made the appeal in an interview with  newsmen following a downpour last  Wednesday night.
At Adelabu/Masha axis, a A nurse, Mrs Victoria Oyema,  said:“We are appealing to the necessary state authorities to step in and authorise the local government to provide a drainage system that will end the flooding of the streets whenever it rains.
“The flood affects some other adjoining streets which shows that our drainage system in these areas are faulty, it also affects our children when going to school as they will be forced to walk in the flooded areas.’’
She added that a thorough check should be carried out to ensure that buildings are not erected on drainage channels, which could be the cause of flooding of the streets.
A lawyer, Mr Charles Mbata, also emphasised the need for the council to clean the drains as announced by the state Commissioner for Environment.
He complained that last year, residents were made to pay N3,000 per house, for the evacuation of their drains by the council workers.
“ We are yet to see the local government drain the gutters;  we will appreciate it if they come and clear the drains to allow free flow of the waste waters into the canal by Shitta/Akerele axis.
“We suffer flood in our compounds where we live and this is not too healthy, we appeal that the Surulere local government chairman should come to our rescue.
A visit to some of the areas showed that gutters leading to the closest canal had yet to be cleared to ensure free flow of water.
Areas visited included Nnobi, Olufemi/Ogulana road, streets on Adeniran Ogunsanya, Shitta and its environs.
Efforts to get the comments of the Surulere council boss, Mr Tajudeen Ajide, were unsuccessful, as he was said to be unavailable.
An official told our correspondent  that no official instruction that no official had been given to start clearing the drains or gutters in the area.
The official, however, encouraged residents to clear the drains, saying that the people should not wait for the council to do the clearing for them.