The Lagos State Government has adopted a three-prong measure to ensure all year round drainage

maintenance across the state in order to forestall flooding.

The Commissioner for the Environment, Mr. Tunji Bello, said this during an inspection of ongoing

drainage projects, including massive cleaning and upgrading of drainage channels across the state.

“Lagos residents should watch out for the cleaning of drains before, during and after the rains. The

cleaning will involve immediate carting away of the silt as we are already doing in places like College

Road in Ifako-Ijaiye; Somolu; Kosofe and Ikeja,” he said. The commissioner said the Elere collector

drain was being upgraded to accommodate the large volume of water that usually discharged onto

the old Abeokuta Expressway and that the 1.5 metre by 1.5 metre concrete channel would take water

from Elere to Afa Nla. Bello noted that the Elere area was seriously affected by the July 10, 2011

floods, which necessitated Governor Babatunde Fashola’s visit and the demolition of structures

obstructing the channel as well as the payment of compensation to those affected. He also said that

work was progressing on the new Elere collector drain, which he described as an improvement on the

existing one.