The Lagos State Government has issued an apology to residents and commuters following the severe flooding that left millions stranded and numerous areas submerged.
Speaking on Thursday’s edition of Channels Television’s ‘The Morning Brief’, the Lagos State Commissioner of Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, expressed regret for the disruptions caused by the torrential rains that hit the city.
“I will start by saying to Lagosians, ‘We are sorry for the inconvenience caused due to nature’s cause yesterday morning’,” Wahab stated.
The heavy downpour, which lasted for hours, resulted in gridlock for motorists and left commuters stranded, bringing economic activities to a standstill in Nigeria’s commercial capital.
Many residents criticized the government for its perceived lack of preparedness, especially given the recurrence of such flooding in previous years.
However, Commissioner Wahab refuted claims that the floods were due to inadequate planning by the government. “It’s not for failure to plan that we had what happened yesterday,” he explained.
“No, it was nature taking its full course. And we are sorry for those whose lives were disrupted: they could not go to work, they could not go to their marketplaces, they couldn’t go to school.”
Proactive Measures
Wahab emphasized that the Lagos State Government had anticipated the situation and had deployed emergency teams early in the day to manage the floods. “Emergency teams were on the ground since around 4 a.m. I’ve been up since around 4 a.m. yesterday,” he noted.
Despite the early deployment of response teams, many residents who ventured out hoping to get to work were caught off guard, finding themselves stuck at bus stops and in traffic.
One of the most affected areas was the Iyana-Oworo-Olopomeji axis heading to the Third Mainland Bridge, which experienced severe flooding and gridlock extending to Alapere.
Commitment to Mitigation
The Commissioner reiterated that while nature’s impact can be inevitable, the government’s role is to mitigate its effects on the environment.
“Nature will take its course. What we have to do is to mitigate the impact of nature on the environment. And that was what we did yesterday,” he said.
In response to the flooding, the Lagos State Government deployed teams across the city to manage the situation and reduce the impact on residents.
Wahab assured Lagosians that the government is committed to taking proactive measures to prevent similar occurrences in the future and minimize the disruption caused by such natural events.
As the city continues to recover from the recent floods, residents are hopeful that the government’s efforts will result in more effective management and preparedness for future environmental challenges.