Sanwo-Olu visits flooded Lagos communities

Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu personally assessed the impact of recent flooding on Wednesday, visiting the Ogombo community in Eti-Osa Local Government Area. He was accompanied by Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat and Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources Tokunbo Wahab, among other state officials.

The tour included other affected areas such as Monastery Road–Sangotedo, Gbetu, and Iwerekun. Visuals from the visit showed the governor and his entourage navigating knee-deep, murky floodwaters that inundated residential buildings and local infrastructure. Officials, some wearing boots, carefully moved through the submerged streets, observing conditions and engaging with residents and local leaders.

Lagos has been grappling with seasonal flooding, exacerbated by days of persistent rainfall. Several roads in the affected communities remained submerged, forcing residents to rely on canoes for transportation across flooded sections. The residents appealed to the state government for both immediate relief and long-term flood control solutions to allow them to resume their normal lives and businesses.

The state government has previously initiated emergency dredging and drainage maintenance works to improve water flow. Commissioner Tokunbo Wahab had stated in June that the recent heavy rainfall constituted an extreme weather event that overwhelmed the existing drainage infrastructure. He noted that the downpours caused temporary flooding in various parts of the state, including Victoria Island, Lekki, Ikeja, Gbagada, Mushin, and Mafoluku. The governor had also approved the immediate dredging and maintenance of 28 additional primary channels across the state to mitigate future risks.