Rail Construction: Agege community prone to flooding- Community tells NRC, FG

AgegePulse Magazine

Ajegunle Community

Following the rail construction in Agege, Ajegunle Community in Agege Local Government Area of Lagos State, the community leaders say the ongoing construction of Lagos–Ibadan Standard gauge line has exposed the community to flooding.

Rail in Agege

Mr Julius Ekemode, a Leader in Ajegunle Agege Community in an interview with AgegePulse Magazine, said that the community was “seriously prone to flooding due to the construction of the new rail lines’’.

Julius urged the Federal Government and Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) to come to the rescue of the community and build a canal in the community.

“We are sending a SOS message to government to take proactive measure to prevent the looming disaster as a result of flooding in this community.

“Rail line is good for the society no doubt about it, but our community is in danger of flooding when rain start.

“With little rain we have experienced here in January, just about 30 minutes, everywhere was flooded. (We have a video evidence).

“It was terrible, just imagine what will happen when the rain starts properly.

“The community is now appealing to the government and the NRC to come to our aid and build a canal for us that will withstand the full force of the water during the downpour.

“With high level of the rail line compare to buildings in our community, it’s like we are now in the valley which exposes us to flooding whenever it rains,” he said.

Also, Dr Samuel Olukayode, another community leader, appealed to the government to provide another secondary School for the community as the rail line had disconnected the area from others.

“The only secondary school our children attend is now at the other side of the standard gauge line.

“We can’t afford to put the life our children at risk on daily basis by crossing the rail line to the other side.

“We beg the government to come to our aid quickly before the matter become disaster.

“This is a big community and we don’t want the situation where the matter will go out of hands,” Olukayode said.

Speaking, Hon. Yinka Ogundimu, a member of the Lagos State House of Assembly, appealed to NRC and Federal Government to do rectification of the drainage channel before the rain started.

Ogundimu, representing Agege Constituency 2, said that the drainage channels constructed by contractor handling the rail line was too small to accommodate the high flow of rain water.

“We want the NRC to come and do rectification in, Ajegunle Agege Community; the drainage provided by the contractor is too small compared to previous canal.

“This is a save our soul message to the government otherwise our people will perish here.

“Now, we have foreseen this problem before occurrence, that is why we are calling on those who are concern to be proactive in solving the problem,” he said.

Flood, Agege

During her visit to the area, Mrs Folashade Adefisayo, the Commissioner for Education, urged the community to write to the state government, assuring them that necessary actions would be taken soon.

“Write a letter to the state government about the building of new secondary school in your area, and I am assuring you that your plights would be considered.

“Truly, we won’t allow those small children to be crossing such rail line with top speed, it is too risky.

“The state government will find solutions to all the challenges attached to the new standard gauge line in this area,” Adefisayo said.

Lagos unveils roadmap to fix potholes, tackle flooding

...Reels out  plans to control flooding

…To Carry Out Repair On 43 Major Link Roads, Others In Coming Days

…Divides State Into Five Zones To Control Flooding

The Lagos State Government on Sunday unveiled its roadmap targeted at maintaining and rehabilitating roads across the State as well as comprehensive drainage maintenance and flood control programme between August and December 2017.

Recently appointed Special Adviser to Governor Akinwunmi Ambode on Public Works and Drainages, Engr Temidayo Erinle, who reeled out the roadmap at a press briefing held at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre in Alausa, said in the coming days, the State Government, through the Public Works Corporation, would carry out rehabilitation works on 43 major link roads across the State, while other major highways and arterial roads found to be in bad state would be fixed.

Erinle said the State Government was well aware of the challenges being experienced by commuters on Lagos roads, and that Governor Ambode had already repositioned the Corporation to comprehensively address the issues relating to potholes and drainages in the State.

He said: “As you are all aware, we are presently in the rainy season, as such much cannot be done during this period. However, we are currently carrying out palliative works on our major roads through the application of boulders, crushed stones and other construction materials to address the potholes problems in order not to paralyze the economic activities of the State.

“Similarly, we also take advantage of some dry days to carry out repair works in an effort to reduce traffic gridlock on Lekki-Epe Expressway between Adetokunbo Ademola to Samuel, section of Ikorodu Road between the new and old pedestrian bridges inward Maryland, Ikorodu Road, Ketu Bus Stop and Ikuomola Street, Idimu Alimosho Local Government Area.

“Asides that, I want to assure the people that immediately the rain subsides, the Lagos State Public Works Corporation will embark on massive road maintenance and repairs of all major highways and arterial roads found to be in bad state.”

Erinle said aside the 43 major link roads to be repaired in coming days, engineers of the Corporation have also been sent out to identify other failed spots across the State, assuring that the State Government was determined to fix all potholes to bring about seamless driving experience to motorists.

He listed some of the 43 roads to include Alfred Rewane Road, Ikoyi which work has already commenced; Ojota Interchange transiting the ramps on both directions, Sina Ogunbanwo Street, Agric Road Oko-Oba, Ifako Ijaiye; Club Road off Osborne Road, Ikoyi; Oroke Drive, Ikoyi, Eti-Osa LGA; Central Avenue, Apapa; North Avenue, Apapa; Maybin road, Apapa; Lateef Jakande road, Ikeja; Gberibe road, Ikorodu; TOS Benson road, Ikorodu; Oke Sabo along Imota; Itamaga, Itoikin; Oba Sekumaderd, Ogolonto, Ikorodu; Adeniran Ogunsanya road Ikorodu; Admiralty way, Lekki Eti-Osa; Topo inward Ajido, Badagry; Hospital road, Badagry and Ijesha road network, Surulere.

Other roads include Liverpool Apapa; 1st Avenue Festac Amuwo- Odofin; Kirikiri road, Ajeromi Ifelodun; Ojo road, Ojo; College road, Agric, Ojo; Baale road, Ojo LGA; Okun-Owa street, Ajegunle, Ajeromi Ifelodun; Crowther Crescent, Apapa LG; Oba Akran Avenue, Ikeja; Shasha road Akowonjo; Bonny Camp Victoria Island; Musa Yar Adua street, off Ozumba Mbadiwe; Obafemi Awolowo way, Ikeja; Old Abeokuta motor road; Pen Cinema to Abule Egba; Iju road, Ifako Ijaiye LGA; Akowonjo road, Alimosho; Itire road, Babalola bus stop axis, Mushin LGA; Diya street, Gbagada Kosofe; Chivita road, Ajao Estate; Asa Afariogun street, Ajao Estate; Herbert Macaulay road, Yaba; Ahmadu Bello way, Victoria Island; Lekki Epe Expressway to Ibeju Lekki Axis.

While reeling out the plans of the State Government to control flooding, Erinle said works have already commenced in earnest to deflood the State, adding that in a bid to forestall flooding as witnessed few weeks back due to torrential rainfall which led to high intensity of about 465mm of water within five days, the State has been divided into five zones namely Alimosho, Ikeja, Mushin, Kosofe, Agege, Ifako-Ijaiye, Oshodi-Isolo and Somolu (Zone 1); Ajeromi-Ifelodun, Amuwo Odofin, Ojo and Badagry (Zone 2); Ikorodu (Zone 3); Apapa, Surulere, Lagos Island, Mainland and Eti-Osa (Zone 4); and Ibeju Lekki and Epe (Zone 5).

Already, Erinle said in all the five zones, dredging of primary channels and outfalls as well as clearing/cleaning of collector and tertiary (street) drains have been carried out and still ongoing, while a drainage master plan which covered the whole of the State has been developed to improve on the earlier four master plans.

Under the new comprehensive master plan, Erinle said 169 primary channels/outfalls have been identified, while all the recommendations in the plan were being implemented in phases.

“I wish to reassure Lagosians that the Corporation will not rest on its oars to ensure that the people continue to enjoy pot-hole free roads and drastic reduction in the incidences of flooding in Lagos State,” Erinle said.