Lagos builds 150 flats to resettle residents in flood prone areas

Poised to checkmate unforeseen circumstances as result of flooding, the Lagos state government has built a block of 150 flats as resettlement centres at Agbowa area of the metropolis for residents living in flood plains and areas near major rivers. Consequently, the state urged residents in such areas to be ready to relocate when the need arises.

The state’s Commissioner for the Environment, Dr Adejare Samuel Babatunde, said, the construction was part of measures embarked to ensure a flood free state with the rainfall prediction and social economic implications in the state. The flood prone areas, he said, include Ikorodu, Owode, Iwaya, Makoko, Badia, Ijora, Isaalu, Pota and Shibiri.

The commissioner disclosed this in a media briefing on efforts by the state to address the issue of flood following recent advisory notices issued by the Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NIMET) and the Nigeria Hydrological Service Agency (NIHSA).

He said the State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA)’s functional resettlement centres would also assist, while the state has acquired state of the art equipment to facilitate rescue operations during emergencies.

According to him, the state is monitoring the low-lying Agiliti, Agboyi, Itowolo and Ajegunle communities in Lagos state with likelihood of Ogun river flooding.

He urged Lagosians to desist from dumping refuse in unauthorized places, clogging drains with silt or construction materials and erecting structure within and around drainage right of ways and setbacks to mitigate the incidence of flooding. Lagosians should report cases of drainage blockages, dumping of waste into canals and other unauthorized places to resident engineers through these lines, 09095555580 and 09055555878.