Kunle Adelabu and Bolu Oresajo (SIWES Student)
As part of preparations towards the construction of a 1.4 kilometres drainage system at Palm Avenue linking Igbopa – London, Abule Eko, Ijede Local Council Development Area (LCDA), to tackle flooding challenges, the representative of Ikorodu Constituency II, Hon. Aro Moshood Abiodun (AMA), and the Office of Drainage Service, Ministry of Environment and Water Resources, Lagos State, have organized a stakeholders’ meeting with residents of the affected areas.
At the parley held on Friday at Palm Avenue, Oke Eletu, Ijede LCDA, were the Chairman, Ijede LCDA, represented by the Vice Chairman, Hon. Kabir Kareem and residents of various Community Development Associations (CDAs).
The 1.4-kilometer drainage system facilitated by Hon. Aro Moshood, which will discharge into Igbopa-London Road at Abule Eko, will serve as a secondary collector for numerous smaller drains in the area, and bring relief to people whi are being disturbed by flood whenever it rains in the area due to lack of proper drainage system.
The first term lawmaker, Hon. Aro, addressing critical stakeholders in the area, said that the drainage system, when completed, will not only prevent flood as being currently experienced by residents, but also bring about social and economic developments in the area.
“This is a drainage system that will not only bring relief to us in our area that has been advsersely affected by floods, but also bring developments. It is only when there is drainage that we can easily facilitate road construction.
“The drainage system, when completed, will add value to your properties and encourage development of businesses in the area, and also bring about a very good and conducive environment to live in.
“There will be continuous development. That’s why I have taken the drainage construction as a priority, because I know that it is what we need in our axis. Once we have that, it will be easy to facilitate roads, because we will already have an existing drainage system”, Hon. Aro added.
He, however, called for cooperation and understanding of residents in making the project a reality, adding that those that have built on channel or where they are not supposed to, may be affected.
“I am appealing to residents to give the contractor maximum cooperation and support during the project executioning. Please, don’t fight the contractor and assist us in reining in the youths in the community who may want to disturb our contractor.
“We will see if they can employ some of them to work on the project, and also see how some of the residents can also benefit in terms of supplying materials, but most importantly, you must cooperate with the contractor.
“I implore you to come to me directly if you have any complaint concerning the project, instead of going directly to the contractor”, he pleaded.
“They will be coming for demolition and after demolition, the contractor will move to site. That is where we need to come together as one big family, especially for those of you that your properties will be affected.
“If you have built on the drainage or illegal area, the judgement day has come and it’s this year.
“If you have any complaint, ensure that you come to me once your house is marked, and not when they come for demolition”, he warned.
Engr. Omoniyi Sunday, who represented the Office of Drainage Service, Ministry of Environment and Water Resources, commended Hon. Aro, for not only facilitating the project and other connecting projects, but also for ensuring that funds are released to execute it.
While explaining the scope of the project to the stakeholders, he also pleaded for their cooperation.
“The project has come up now. It has come to stay and it is your baby. Baby in the sense that you need to accommodate it, because we don’t want to have any problem when the construction starts. I have went round and I realized that some fences or walls will be removed and some buildings will also be demolished.
“This is an opportunity. It is a project that worth several millions. Don’t let us relocate it to another place, because I know that you need it here. The contractor are ready to work. When they come to site, give them a good reception and avenue to work. You can’t stop government work, but we need to work together, so that we can get the best out of the project .
“Once again, it is your project and we expect you to embrace us. If you have people that can do one or two things, you are free to bring them. Though, the contractor have its own team, but it is your project, you need to benefit from it as well”, he said.
Mr Babatunde Adeniran, representative of contractor, Phos Engineering Nigeria Limited, assured the stakeholders of a good project and also appealed for their support and cooperation.
The stakeholders’ supervisory committee that will represent the community and liaise with Hon. Aro Moshood and the ministry, was setup at the meeting.
