Rain has a multitude of benefits to the earth which includes watering crops, humidifying the air, replenishing the water table and redistribution of fresh water in the water cycle.
Unfortunately, the severity of the flood caused by last weekend’s heavy down pour has rubbished the benefits of the rain for some residents of Lagos , as several families have been forcefully ejected from their homes.
Peace Home Valley Estate Community Development Area , at Oke Afa, Isolo territory of Ejigbo, was one of the few territories influenced by a weekend ago's surge in Lagos. Right now, a few families whose structures were submerged by surge have emptied their homes because of a paranoid fear of an approaching catastrophe. The individuals who summoned mettle to remain were compelled to stay inside until the point that the surge level retreated to decent level. Inhabitants who were constrained to leave their homes looking for their day by day bread needed to swim through the dormant pool which was at abdomen level , with knee - high boots, as streets driving out of the CDA were totally blocked off.
At the point when Saturday Vanguard went by the CDA, shops were under bolt and keys while tenants of cottages and ground floors showed their surge ridden property over their vehicles. Most flats in home building were still in confuse, with a few tenants scooping water which was originating from underneath the earth.
Examination uncovered that the CDA which involves ten avenues ,was forced to bear surge from Jakande bequest, Oke-Afa, Ejigbo, Ailegun and Bucknor territories, as it discharges there. The influenced avenues are : Azombe, Omololu Fatumbi, Sam Chuks, Vineyard , Esther Ibekwe, Juril, Babatunde shogbesan, KC Emmanuel and Ase lanes
Proprietor of one of the structures on Esther Ibekwe road, which was submerged by surge, Alhaji Salu Bello, who observed powerlessly revealed that aside the surge from different regions which exhausts in the CDA, a few people had raised structures on the conduit.
As per him "When I moved here in 2005, the circumstance was never similar to this in light of the fact that there were just couple of houses here at that point and water streamed uninhibitedly. Be that as it may, this surge issue began seven years back, when individuals began obstructing the conduits with their structures. That is the significant test we are confronting."
In a move to proffer answer for the lasting surge, Chairman of Peace Home Valley Estate Community Development Area , Sir Ikechukwu Ezeonyeka , expressed that the CDA had composed a few letters to the Lagos state government on the need to build a waste earth channel that would channel the surge to an essential waterway. He said that they had been informed that agreement to the impact had been affirmed however asked why no move had made place since the confirmations were made.
Ezeonyeka bemoaned that " We have been confronting this surge for a considerable length of time and we have attracted government's consideration regarding it since 2013. We were at Ejigbo LCDA where we were informed that it was past their domain and recommended that we too k it to the Ministry of Environment. We have kept in touch with the Ministry and accordingly amid one of the gatherings, we were informed that in the guide , our territory should have an earthen channel, which they called Jakande/Bucknor/Oke-Afa earth channel, that will take water originating from Ejigbo , Aiyelegun and Buckno, down to Jakande/Ijegun street, from where it would be directed down to the essential waterway which runs the distance from Airport down to Ajao bequest, Oke-Afa and Mile two, that is the essential trench.
They guaranteed us that the development would be done soon. The affirmation was give since 2013 however till date, nothing has been finished. What they have done as such far was to do the mapping out and pegging. Amid this procedure, they said that there were repudiations and that the following thing they would do is check the negations and serve the defaulters papers . We visit the Ministry of Environment on quarterly premise .
They said they have set out a venture and that a waste that will take water along that course to ease our sufferings would be built. We are likewise mindful that the development has been affirmed . Be that as it may, each time we went to, we were informed that what was holding them was assignment of assets. Saturday's surge pulled down a few wall, individuals couldn't leave their flats as a result of the surge and vehicles couldn't move out in light of the fact that the entire range was overflowed", he mourned.
As the season of this report, the CDA had so far sent four letters to the Ministry of the Environment. The last update letter was sent in February, 2017 . It peruses " We write in regard to the development of the previously mentioned Drainage earth channel. It is in fact with a sentiment close misery and looming catastrophe that this update is being sent. It is just the same old thing new now to every one of the gatherings included; the CDAs around the trench region and the Lagos State Government that the channel as proposed will get gigantic help to occupants the zone and in the meantime give a characteristic leave course to every overwhelmed range around Bucknor , Ejigbo, Jakande domain, Oke-Afa and environs.
"After the gatherings of the CDAs with top architects and authorities of the Lagos state Ministry of Environment on a few events, we were guaranteed of government craving to free the region of this flooding issue and that since the course of the waterway had been built up , its development or notwithstanding earthening was en route. To our biggest disillusionment , the channel has not been burrowed/earthen up till the season of composing this letter.
"In as much as we comprehend the explanation for the postponement, we would likewise need to report that inhabitants are experiencing all types of ailment because of dormant waters deserted by the surge. The administration through the service has likewise made us to comprehend that the requirement for that channel can't be over underlined since it serves to empty waters out of Ejigbo , Bucknor and Jakande bequest that exit into Oke-Afa trench. By this medium, the influenced CDAs wish to beg the administration not to yield in its endeavors to see that the trench is finished and the misery of the general population around there conveyed to an end.
"Another issue that likewise strikes a chord is building breakdown which could be caused by steady introduction of structures to surge water. We realize that no administration needs to have such a crisis staring its in the face."
Whenever reached, Director, Drainage Construction and Water Resources bureau of the Ministry of the Environment , Engr. Oduyemi Oladeinde Alim , expressed that development of seepage in significant ranges of Lagos had started. Noticing that the current year's surge coordinated by the overwhelming storm was not unconventional to Nigeria alone but rather different parts of the world, Alim additionally credited the reason on some Lagosians who he said fabricated houses on the conduits.
He said : " If you watch well, you will see that a portion of the occupants at the domain being referred to don't have Drainage Impact Assessment , DIA. Aside the way that Peace Valley domain is low, the greater part of them never kept in touch with my office to show that they needed to fabricate. Inquire as to whether they have building endorsement, they wear' t have. The masses are our concern, they purchase trench and expand on it".
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