Residents of Amukoko, Ajegunle, Ojo road and other environs in Lagos have expressed fear over the commencement of raining season.
They said their buildings may be flooded because the carnal connecting Amukoko, Ojo Road, Ajegunle and others have been abandoned, exposing them to massive flood.
In 2019, many of them left their houses and businesses when the environs were overflooded.
It was gathered the carnal dredging project kicked off in the fourth quarter of 2019 in some areas but was later abandoned despite four years of neglect
The development has led to construction of illegal structures on the ‘Right of Way’ with churches, mosques, hotels and other businesses occupying these illegal areas marked by the Lagos State Government.
The situation has fuelled fear of possible outbreak on diseases at a time the COVID-19 pandemic is raging.
Also, residents have been dumping refuses and faeces close to the drainage system leading to the carnal due to the absence of toilets and poor monitoring by officials
A businessman at Mosafejo, who identified himself as Alhaji Ibrahim, said the raining season has become a thing of fear for the last five years.
“I have lived in this area for the past 20 years and have not been afraid of rain not until the past five years.
“Before now, the past government of Lagos state has always made sure that every half of the year or sometimes yearly, the carnal is cleared to avoid flood during the raining season.
“But unfortunately, this just turned around during that of the last administration in Lagos.”
Mrs. Joy Okoye, a trader at Alaba–Oro, said “We don’t get excited whenever the approaching April to December. At the moment skeletal trading is ongoing but for how long when it starts raining.
“From the look of things there would be an early downpour and we are been asked to observed the lockdown to address the coronavirus pandemic which is increasing daily. I am afraid that if such is recorded in these areas Lagos state will be finished and overwhelmed because the streets would be filled with temporarily homeless ‘Lagosians’.”
Also, a Cleric at Ishaja close, Pst. Joseph explained that churches are not exempted from the threat of flood as the auditorium is covered with water whenever it rains.
“I can boldly tell you that churches and some residents have purchased pumping machines as backups when the flood comes, but the destruction of properties and equipment cannot be overemphasized. Residents have fled these areas and structures are abandoned to the fear of flood whenever it rained.
“Notwithstanding, the situation was not like this five years ago because there was consistency in the dredging of the carnal. However, that cannot be said now as the roads are been flooded whenever it rains because the carnal is full.
“If you take a close look at the carnal, you would see people walking through to Jinadu Street (Ojo road). How is it that a carnal has now turned to dry land for people to walkthrough? That is simply to tell the magnitude of how bad it is.
“We have written to the local government council countless times but it seemed to have fallen on deaf ears. We urged for urgency to be given to this matter to avert a folly situation that cannot be contained.”
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