Abdullahi Sesan-Olowa, the chairman of the Ibeju-Lekki Local Government Area, on Monday outlined ongoing flood control interventions across affected communities.

Mr Sesan-Olowa also assured the communities of the council’s commitment to protecting lives and property.

The chairman, in a statement, said the council had deployed swamp buggies, drainage-clearing equipment and pumping machines to tackle flooding in communities including Labora Owode, Bolorunpelu, Bogije, Shapati and Magbon Alade.

He said work would begin with the drainage channel at Labora Owode, which discharges stormwater into the Abijo Canal on the Lekki-Epe Expressway.

The chairman said another swamp buggy had been deployed to Bolorunpelu Community to redirect stormwater from nearby estates into the swamp.

According to him, the council is also monitoring the impact of the ongoing Lagos-Calabar coastal road project to ensure it does not obstruct the natural flow of water.

The chairman said a 15-horsepower submersible pumping machine had been procured to evacuate floodwater from Bogije’s clogged drainage system, while a backhoe had been deployed to desilt the drainage channel.

He added that excavation of the drainage channel from Shapati Junction to the Igbijia Shapati primary canal had commenced with noticeable improvement in water discharge.

The chairman said construction of a permanent drainage system in Shapati would begin soon.

Mr Sesan-Olowa said emergency works were also underway to reclaim the collapsed section of Container Road through the installation of a box culvert and continued desilting of drainage channels.

He attributed flooding in Magbon Alade to a blocked box culvert linking the community’s drainage system to the Coastal Road.

Mr Sesan-Olowa said the matter had been escalated through the Federal Ministry of Works to the contractor handling the road project.

According to him, the contractor has assured the council that work to reopen the blocked channel will commence immediately.

He said the council would also deploy equipment to clear the Eleko Canal through Kaiyetoro to the creek at Iba Oloja.

According to him, technical assessments are ongoing to identify the most effective route for directing excess floodwater into the lagoon.

The chairman said the deteriorated culvert at Abule Panu required reconstruction, and an inventory of major culverts along the Shapati primary canal would be forwarded to the Lagos State Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources for intervention.

He added that Eluju’s flooding challenge stemmed from the absence of a drainage channel connecting the community to any primary canal, with plans underway to link it to the Lekki-Epe Expressway drainage system.

Mr Sesan-Olowa appealed to residents to adopt environmentally responsible practices and support the council’s efforts by providing local knowledge that could assist ongoing flood mitigation projects. 

(NAN)