Sanwo-Olu wades through floods, pledges speedy drainage fixes

Etim Ekpimah

Residents of flood-hit communities in the Eti-Osa area of Lagos State have appealed for urgent government intervention as Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu toured some of the worst-affected areas on Wednesday.

The Governor, alongside Deputy Governor Dr Obafemi Hamzat, Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources Mr Tokunbo Wahab, and members of the State Executive Council, spent over six hours wading through floodwaters in Ogombo, Awoyaya, Sangotedo, Gbetu-Iwerekun, and Chevron.

These areas have been severely impacted by heavy rainfall, resulting in significant flooding. The governor’s tour was aimed at assessing the situation firsthand and developing immediate solutions to tackle the crisis.

The affected communities, many of which lie in low-lying parts of Eti-Osa, have experienced severe flooding following weeks of heavy rainfall. The flooding has damaged homes and roads, displaced residents and disrupted commercial activities.

During the tour, residents told the governor about the challenges they face and expressed concerns over inadequate drainage infrastructure.

Sanwo-Olu sympathised with those affected and assured them that the state government had already begun clearing critical drainage channels and removing obstructions blocking natural waterways.

“Given the volume of rainfall we have witnessed in the last three weeks, we discovered that while the primary factor is a natural occurrence, we have done our best to preserve and protect the natural channels of water,” the governor said.

“However, in recent times, we have observed constriction and impediments arising from developments along the natural flow of water.”

He said aerial drone surveys revealed that many structures obstructing waterways were built without approval, significantly restricting the natural flow of stormwater into the lagoon.

Gboyega Akosile, Special Adviser – Media and Publicity, said the governor also identified indiscriminate dumping of refuse into drainage channels, heavy siltation, and waterlogged soil as major contributors to flooding in several communities. He said heavy equipment would be deployed immediately to clear blocked channels and excavate affected areas.

As a short-term measure, Sanwo-Olu announced plans to construct bridge deck systems in low-lying communities, including Ogombo and Gbetu-Iwerekun, to improve the flow of stormwater into the lagoon.

For a permanent solution, he said the Lagos State Government would undertake the full dredging of the Ikota River to improve drainage capacity.

The governor also inspected flooded sections of Chevron Drive, where he said private property developers had obstructed drainage channels, causing floodwaters to spill into residential estates in Victoria Garden City (VGC), Ajiran, Osapa London and Orchid Road.

Sanwo-Olu disclosed that the government had already begun demolishing structures illegally built along the Ikota River corridor to restore the natural drainage channels.

“If we get through these two water outlets, this will significantly relieve the pressure we have seen, even from the Orchid and Osapa London axis of Eti-Osa.

The work is actively ongoing, and we hope these measures will bring about lasting solutions to the problems,” he said.