Lagos State Government yesterday said the state would experience about 250 to 300 days of rainfall across the 20 local governments this year.
It said the annual rainfall amount for the state would be 2700mm, just as the state would experience onset, cessation and rainfall amount similar to the prediction for 2021.
The implication is that Lagos will experience a rain pattern of high intensity and frequency similar to what was experienced in 2021.
Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources Mr. Tunji Bello made these known while addressing reporters at a news conference for 2022 Seasonal Climate Predictions (SCP) and Social Implications for Lagos State, held in Alausa, Ikeja.
He said the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMET), at the beginning of every year, usually forecasts the expected rainfall and temperature patterns spanning the entire country, while the results are published as the Seasonal Climate Prediction (SCP).
Bello said the ministry was consolidating on its collaboration with NiMet in the area of annual SCP, which had been valuable as a vital weather and early warning tool for farmers, planners, decision makers, operators of sectors and businesses that were likely to be affected by the annual rainfall patterns “as demonstrated by this media briefing.”
The commissioner said the SCP for Lagos State signified that the onset dates ranged between March 17 in earliest and April 6, at the latest, while the cessation dates ranged between November 30 and December 5.
He assured the people that the government would continue to reap the gains of rigorous planning, as the flood control measures were being stepped up to contain imminent heavy rainfalls, noting that the rainfall from neighbouring Ogun and Osun states, dams release and rivers flowing into the state would also be monitored.
some other states, Lagos had become the most secure state in the country and this had increased the influx of people into the state.
He said this had put a lot of pressure of infrastructure on the state.
Igbokwe, an engineer, said the government was determined to rid the state of environmental infractions, adding that home owners in low lying areas such as Iwaya, Makoko, Ijora Badiya, Agboyi Ketu, Itowolo, Isheri, among others, should be mindful as their homes were located along natural water path.