By Adetayo Omotoyosi Adeolu
The permanent secretary in the office of drainage services, Lagos state government, Mahmood Adegbite, has stated that anyone drilling a borehole in the Lekki axis of the state is most probably drinking ‘shit water.’
Adegbite made this statement during a stakeholders meeting in the state.
He said, ‘’Yesterday it rained heavily which is unusual because this is supposed to be August break. However, we started having it because of a lot of complex issues. In terms of flooding, despite the fact that we have committed so much, however, we still need a lot to do in that space.
“Presently also, on waste water treatment, I will say that everyone digging the borehole within the Lekki axis is probably drinking what I will call ‘Shit water’. However, if we are able to treat all the waste water within this axis which we have plans for, we should be able to also eradicate any form of disease that might result from non-treatment of our waste.”
DareLasisionline.com reports that heavy downpour was recently witnessed in the state for hours, sending residents into panic.
In his message to Lagosians, the Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, called on the residents to remain calm as the government is putting all resources in place to contain the flooding.
He said, “Over the past 12 hours, Lagos has experienced intense rainfall, and more is expected in the coming days according to NiMET’s latest advisory. I urge all residents to remain calm. We have resilient systems in place to manage flash floods, but the sheer volume of rainfall may temporarily overwhelm some drainage channels.
“As a coastal city, Lagos is naturally vulnerable to tidal lock-up when rising water levels in the lagoon slow down the discharge of runoff. This is further worsened by climate change. We are closely monitoring areas near rivers and lagoons, which are at higher risk of flash floods with strong currents.”
The Commissioner has also urged parents to keep their wards indoors during the holiday season, cautioning them to avoid swimming or playing in the floodwater. He called on motorists and pedestrians to avoid moving through flooded roads.
“Parents and guardians, please keep your children indoors during this holiday period. Swimming or playing in floodwater is extremely dangerous. I also appeal to motorists and pedestrians to avoid moving through flooded roads. Vehicles can be submerged, and lives can be lost. Once again, I must stress, do not dump refuse into drains during rainfall.
“It clogs our drainage systems and worsens flooding. There are consequences for such actions, and enforcement will continue. Our teams are working round the clock to clean and maintain drainages and are expanding our network with concrete-lined channels to manage runoff more effectively. But in times of unusually heavy downpour like this, every resident must play their part. Together, we will keep Lagos safe”, he added.
