WorldStage Newsonline– The Lagos State Ministry of Environment (MOE) and Water Resources has announced the state’s plans to rehabilitate the drainage infrastructure around the Lagos-Island metropolis.
The MOE commissioner, Mr Tokunbo Wahab, made this known while speaking with journalists after an inspection of the ongoing drainage enforcement project in Lagos-Island on Saturday.
The commissioner who expressed displeasure over the nonchalant attitude of some residents towards the environment, said there would be continuous reinforcement around the metropolis.
“We are not happy and we can’t be happy. The government is using tax payers money to put in place infrastructure but unfortunately some people are trying to discredit its work.
“We also found out that in the course of doing this new road, the contractors by mistake had blocked the outlet for a channel, but we have been on this conversation with them for the past two weeks.
“We want to hasten it up because it is part of our own design to rehabilitate the drainage infrastructure of Lagos Island.
“So, this is like a closure for the last wrap of that inspection but what we found here is beyond the drainage, it is about human bad habit and it is so unfortunate,” he said.
He, therefore, assured Lagosians that the ministry would continue to reinforce law and order in the state.
“When people are set in bad behaviours and bad ways, what you have to do is be consistent in your enforcement while you continue your advocacy. We will continue that and make it sustainable.
“We have been here before. We do it and when we leave, they come back. We will station people here permanently and we will see how that will work but that reinforcement starts today and we will keep engaging them,” he said.
When asked when the project will kick off, Wahab said there would be a meeting with the Ministry of Works to further deliberate on the way forward.
“We will have a meeting with the Federal Ministry of Works and their contractors this week and I want to insist before the end of this year, we will open up this outlet.
“We will also continue our own maintenance work inside Lagos island but whatever we do, we must first allow this water to discharge the way it is being naturally designed into the lagoon,” he said.
Mr Kunle Akodu, the Special Adviser on Environment to the State Government, while speaking with journalists, also expressed his dissatisfaction on the activities of some residents of the state.
“Well, it is quite unfortunate that we are careless and lackadaisical about everything around us.
“Whatever the structure the government put in place, they don’t care and in as much as they maintain such habit, we must meet them at that level.
“We have to ensure that we wrap up our enforcement, we will not rest on our oars, and it is either they comply what the state government want or they find else where to go,” he said.
The areas visited by the commissioner and his team were Salvage Lane, Cole street, George Street, Elegbata, Olowogbowo in Apogbon and Aibu street in Lagos Island.
