Flooding: FG begins clearing of drains on 14 major road in Lagos

The Federal Controller of Works in Lagos, Mr Olukayode Popoola, on Tuesday said an indigenous contractor had moved to site to begin clearing of drains on 14 major roads across Lagos to avert flooding.

Popoola told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that the minister for Works and Housing granted the approval for immediate clearing of highway drains to avert flooding predicted due to heavy rainfall.

He said that the Federal Government was aware of the predictions of heavy rainfall and had taken proactive steps, hence, the contractor’s movement to site.

“Some of the roads that we want to carry out desilting are Mossalachi-Olosha, Herbert Macaulay Way that is, Jibowu-Adekunle Dual Carriageway and Adekunle to Oyingbo.

He listed the others to include Osborne Road, Ijora Olopa by LAWMA Bus Stop, Iddo to Oyingbo, Apapa Road – Costain to Oyingbo, Abeokuta Road, Oko-Oba-
Agege-Pen Cinema, and Abule Egba.

According to him, the others are Simpson Road on Lagos Island, Apapa Road, Costain to Iganmu, Iganmu to Costain and Leventis to Nigeria Ports Authority.

“There are 14 roads that approval has come for and the contractor has reported to site,’’ he told NAN.

The controller said that an indigenous contractor was being used to allow local content.

On the ongoing rehabilitation/reconstruction of the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway, the controller said new drains were being constructed alongside reconstruction of the highway.

He said that the drains were being constructed in batches of 250 metres per stretch.

Popoola said that about four kilometres of bad portions on the entire highway was being rehabilitated in phases as reconstruction of the highway continued.

He said that repairs on critical portions on the Lagos end of the highway – around Kola/Alakuko – area had reached advanced stages, nearing final layers.

“As we are working on the road, we are also doing new drainage works. We picked the first 500 metres to begin work. As I speak, the contractor has completed about 250 metres.

“After the first 500, we go to another. That is how we will be picking it one by one.

“We are doing the Lagos-bound lane now, when we finish we will shift to the Abeokuta-bound lane, we are working,’’ he said.