Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has approved the dredging and maintenance of 28 additional primary drainage channels across the state following recent flooding in several communities.
The Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, disclosed this in a statement issued on Tuesday through the ministry’s spokesperson, Kunle Adeshina.
Wahab explained that the recent heavy rainfall experienced in Lagos was an extreme weather event that overwhelmed parts of the state’s drainage infrastructure, leading to temporary flooding in areas such as Victoria Island, Lekki, Ikeja, Gbagada, Mushin, and Mafoluku.
According to him, the government has moved swiftly to address the situation by initiating dredging works and intensified drainage maintenance across flood-prone locations.
The statement noted that the rainfall intensity recorded over the past weeks was unusually high and comparable to similar extreme weather conditions experienced in other parts of the world.
Wahab also highlighted that Lagos’ unique coastal geography—featuring lagoons, rivers, creeks, and tidal water bodies—contributes to temporary flooding, especially when high tides slow down stormwater discharge into the Atlantic Ocean.
He assured residents that the state government is actively monitoring drainage systems and deploying emergency response teams to affected areas to mitigate the impact of flooding.
Residents were urged to avoid indiscriminate waste disposal into drains, illegal land reclamation, and construction on drainage channels, warning that such practices worsen flooding across the state.
Wahab added that the government remains committed to improving flood control infrastructure while addressing the growing effects of climate change on coastal cities.
