24th August, 2015
Photo: Channels TV
Kazeem Ugbodaga
The Lagos State Government has alerted residents living in the coastal and low lying areas of the impending flooding of these areas following the release of water from the Lagco Dam in Cameroon.
In a statement released by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of the Environment, Mr. Oluwatoyin Onisarotu, the government said that the warning became necessary based on the outcome of the recent 2015 Flood Management Stakeholders Roundtable Meeting organized by the Federal Ministry of Environment in Abuja where preparations were made for the forecast of the 2015 Flood Management Strategies.
Onisarotu hinted of the possible consequences of the release of water from the dam in Cameroon and its attendant effect on the coastal waters and the wetlands.
It was also disclosed at the Abuja meeting that the release of excess water from Lagco Dam might cause flooding that will affect the Benue River Basin and states such as Adamawa and those in the Niger-Delta among others.
He advised that residents within the coastal and low lying areas which are prone to flooding to ensure that all canals and drains are properly cleared to allow free flow of water.
“They should discourage people from dumping refuse into canals and drainage that may cause havoc and flooding,” he urged.
He also stressed that the State Government is committed to ensuring that several flood mitigating measures it has put in place are fully deployed to ensure minimal discomfort for all those who might be affected by the rising water levels that come with the release of that water.