Flood cuts off Lagos communities



Etim Effiong

Hundreds of communities in Ijede, Igbogbo, Elepe, Gberigbe, Imota, Agbowa, and others within Ikorodu Local Government Area of Lagos State were cut off from the rest of the
state following a downpour on Sunday.

The rain, which started around 12.45 am in the area, wreaked havoc in low-lying communities as residents were said to have lost property worth millions of naira.

A resident, Mr Dayo Ewuyemi, who posted a video of the flood, said Sunday’s incident was the second this year.

He added that last year the communities suffered a major setback as flood prevented inhabitants from accessing their workplaces.

According to him, Igbe Road has been under construction for two years without the zeal and speed by the construction company and government to finish the work.

He noted that for a road of about 10 to 11 km, one can only see 10 or at times six workers loitering about without a tool in their hands and, in the evening, they go home.

He said, “PSP truck has been stuck in the flood; three jeeps are there while a car is not visible because it has been submerged by the flood.

“The original map for the road showed that a bridge should be constructed on this road, but what the company is doing is to wave off the bridge and use culverts instead. The culverts have been completely covered by the flood.

“The government, though has tried its best in awarding the contracts, it has to monitor the job and release funds for the completion of the job on time.”

Another resident, Kelvin Adewale said Sunday’s flooding, specifically on  Afa-Igbe axis, was one too many, painful and a sad commentary to all residents, motorists, businesses, markets and people in general across Igbogbo, Oreyo, Elepe, Igbe Laara, Okeletu and the whole of Ijede
town.

He stated that the communities were completely thrown into untold hardship and forcefully cut off and locked down by the flooded road that turned into an ocean.

“The pains, damage to property and loss of valuables were unquantifiable. I appeal to Lagos State Government and all relevant authorities to come to our aid and save us from these traumatic pains on the major link road between lgbogbo, Gberigbe and Ijede that we residents of these axes face anytime it rains,” he added.

Lagos State Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Mrs Aramide Adeyoye, said the contractor had not slowed down the pace of work, adding that the number was deliberately reduced in order not to expose workers to COVID-19.

She said, “The bottomline is that the contractors are working; it is not as if they are not doing so. The place is Igbe Road. The reason why we are reconstructing the road was because of issues we found out.

“We have even done the culvert, we are working.

“This is the rainy season, besides COVID-19 pandemic has not done us well. The pandemic started February/March; the contractors are finding it difficult to work as fast as they can.

“They don’t even want the workers to gather together. We have to manage all of them together.”

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