Wale JAGUN
-Commissioner charges LG Chairmen to ensure continuous drainage desilting
After many years of the neglect of canals which have been causing flooding within and around the Ikorodu township, the Lagos State Government, during the week, begun the clearing of the canals to ensure free-flow of water in them.
Our reporter sighted a heavy duty machine, belonging to the Lagos State Public Works, clearing the canal beside Abel Abu house at Ota-Ona.
It was gathered that the desilting of the canals commenced from the Alagbafo river (Odo Alagbafo which has significant traditional value for the town), along Kokoro-Abu road.
The exercise, according to reliable sources, is expected to extend to Anibaba area where the canal runs through down to Oriwu College, Igbogbo and other areas connected by the canal to prevent further flooding which is mainly caused by blocked drainages due to the blockage of the canals.
Also, Ikorodu residents have appealed to the Lagos State Government to ensure that other areas where the canal also passes through, like Solebo Estate, Igbogbo (near the burial ground), are also cleared.
They also appealed to the appropriate authorities to see to the desilting of drainages across the town.
It would be recalled that most parts of Ikorodu division were flooded last weekend due to the heavy downpour which caused untoward hardship and pains for motorists and other road users.
Many houses and neighbourhood were also flooded.
Meanwhile, the Honourable Commissioner for the Ministry of Local Government and Community Affairs, Mrs. Yetunde Arobieke , has charged Chairmen of Local Governments and Local Council Development Areas across the State to ensure that they maintain a consistent and continuous desilting of drainage channels in their respective areas.
Arobieke, who made the call during a joint inspection exercise with Mr. Joe Igbokwe, Special Assistant to the Governor on Drainage and Water Resources, to LGs and LCDAs in Ikorodu, emphasised the need for the Chairmen in Ikorodu, Ikorodu North, Ikorodu West, Ijede and Igbogbo Bayeku LG and LCDAs to sensitise and indoctrinate members of their communities on the policy of the government on waste management.
She also advised the Chairmen to call a stakeholders’ meeting to enlighten them on proper way of disposing waste, especially on the State’s government newly introduced blue-box policy.
In the same vein, Mr. Joe Igbokwe restated the need for LGs and LCDAs to keep the momentum as this will help in achieving the desired goals and objectives of the State government on a clean and healthy environment.
