Residents of Ikota and the Lekki axis have urged the state’s governor to immediately stop developers from erecting illegal structures on waterways and canals.
Read more about flooding in Lekki, Ikorodu, where “Move Now” warns residents in some areas.
The residents lamented that homes and roads were completely submerged in water as a result of Tuesday’s downpour.
According to them, the floods forced families to scramble to save as much as they could as well as destroying businesses.
There is no way to live like this. Every blizzard causes disaster. A distraught resident yelled out, “We are losing everything while the government watches.”
The victims attributed the persistent flooding to human-caused illegal structures constructed along canals and drainage channels, particularly System 156 and 157 drainage channels.
They accused Lagos State Government of failing to follow the laws that were passed by developers who obstructed the waterways.
Read more about flooding: The Lagos government calls for calm following a downpour.
The flooding won’t stop, a homeowner standing in knee-deep water said. “Until the government restores this area, according to the original master plan, this area won’t stop.”
According to town planners, the state’s master plan forbids building on waterways, but there hasn’t been much enforcement, despite this.
Many residents think that powerful developers are spared from sanctions, leaving regular Lagosians to bear the brunt of the consequences.
The flooding damages homes, destroys livelihoods, and threatens public health because stagnant water raises the risk of illness outbreaks.
Environmentalists are concerned.
Environmental rights activists warned that unless illegal encroachments are removed and canals are urgently cleared, Lagos is on the verge of a major disaster.
Once the rains come, “every illegal structure is a ticking time bomb for nearby communities,” a protester retorted.
In the country’s commercial capital, streets and homes were completely submerged on Tuesday due to a severe downpour.
Many commuters were left stranded by submerged vehicles.
Source: Channels TV
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