GOVERNMENT INACTION :  Flood Kills Vulcanizer, Sack Community, Submerge Petrol Stations, Residential Houses, Office Complexes,Express Way, As Residents Blame LASG Dump Site       

There is a looming environmental  disaster in Igando area of Lagos State, where a community is on the verge of totally been sunk by a rampaging perennial flood, which has devastated the entire areas in the last ten years.                                                                     

This is even as recent heavy rainfall in most parts of the state , was said to have resulted to yet another flooding in the Oko – Filling bus stop area, which led to the death of a Vulcanizer identified as Issa Adewusi, submerged residential houses, office complexes, major express way, including over three petrol stations along the Isheri – LASU express way, Igando axis , such as Total, NNPC and Millennia Savvy Services, Oil and gas station, which was totally submerged.                                                                            

At a press briefing last Saturday, July 23rd , 2022, held at the submerged Millennia Savvy Services Oil and gas station, which was aimed at drawing the attention of the state government to the plight of residents and business offices operating in the area, Group Managing Director of the Company, Apostle Promise Benjamin Pius , while calling on the State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo Olu , to urgently intervene, compensate victims and arrest the imminent disaster , lamented the colossal losses his company has been incurring over the years on account of the flood that have been terrorizing the area.                             

Tracing possible causes of the perennial flooding in the area, Apostle Pius noted that the blockage of the major Canal at the back of his gas station, near the Lagos State mountaineous dump site, narrow and poor water channels constructed by government contractors , he said ,are some of the causes of the flooding.                                                                                                                                             

According to him Communities around the dump site located at Oko Filling bus stop areas  in Igando Ikotun Council Development Area, Alimosho, which  is notorious for it’s frequent choking offensive smell and odour usually been emitted out from the refuse at dumpsite, have in the last seven years  been crying out for help as their homes and businesses have come under devastating  flood attack following torrential downpours.                                                                     

 “As a matter of fact, the vulcanizer operating at our gas station was found dead in the last vicious flooding which also overtook our petrol station, Millenia Savvy Services , permeating our underground tunnels, destroying petroleum products worth several millions , thereby grounding our operations”, he lamented.                                                           

Continued  He : ” the flooding menace came about as a result of the blockage of the underground water tunnels and canal in the axis, largely due to the heaps of rubbish that escape from the massive dump site poorly managed”.                                                                                                                                             

“The canal around here is blocked by refuse, even the adjoining water ways.

My gas station underground tanks are filled with water from the last Rain which caused flood that also covered the LASU –  Isheri Expressway, causing excruciating gridlock,” he said.                                       

” We have been forced to stop Sales here for now and we are currently spending over two  million naira to repair a portion of our complex which collapsed after  flood submerged our station “.                             

“I appeal to the performing governor of Lagos state and his relevant agencies to kindly beam their focus here in order to give us respite.I trust that he has a culture of excellence which will reach us only if he directs his kindness this way.

government intervention has become necessary now that a man whose corpse is presently at a Morgue in Yaba was killed by the flood and the area is at the verge of sinking”, he pleaded                                  

A Car Wash Business Operator at the gas station,  Prince S. A. Adeyemo,  regretted that the problem has lingered unnecessarily for too long, despite the fact that the area has Senatorial ,  House of Representative and House of Assembly members .                                                                                        

Speaking on the way forward, Prince Adeyemo, enjoined the state government to detail it’s Engineers and experts, who should  know the easy thing to do to end the deadly flooding which comes along with environmental and health consequences ,considering the existence of Lagos’ largest refuse dump in the neighbourhood.                                                                                                                                             

 For Mrs. Remilekun  Saliu , another resident who operates a private Mortuary business at the back of the submerged Millennia Savvy Services Oil and gas station, ” a simple government action that will open up the canal will end the trouble, stressing that it is unfortunate that the blockage has forced flood  water to sack companies and frustrated  residents of Otunba Oladokun areas and Oko Filling Bus Stop communities, along LASU Isheri Expressway, who are not in anyway situated in water logged areas topographically.”                                                                                                                                               

Commenting further, She collaborated Apostle Pius earlier statement that the flooding which also leads to painful traffic  gridlock on the expressway, is caused by the the refuse from the popular refuse dump in the vicinity.                                                                                                                                               

As at the time of filling our report,  accumulated flood water in the area, were yet to recede back to the canals from the flooded premises and offices days after the last rainfall, as distressed residents hired pumping machines to expel water from their environments.