Unkempt drainages: Lagos threatens to shut 1004 Estate

The Lagos State Government yesterday said it may be forced to shut 1004 flats Estate in Victoria Island if the management and residents fail to clear the drainage channels within its premises.

The government also asked companies and residents which the network of canals runs within their companies or office premises to de-silt the canals and keep them tidy in order to complement the state’s efforts of ensuring food-free Lagos.

The Commissioner for the Environment, Mr Tunji Bello, spoke while inspecting series of dredging and de-silting of canals in Victoria Island axis of the state. He said that the inspection was part of the government’s pro-active plan tagged: “Pre-rainy season programme” to combat and prevent flooding. Bello, who expressed dissatisfaction with the untidy state of drains within the 1004 flats, said the government would write its management.

The commissioner said that the government may close the estate if its management refused to maintain the drains. The commissioner added that regardless of who controls the estate, the government has the unflinching right to ensure the drainage channels within state are cleared for free flow of storm water when it rains.

He said: “Regardless of where the drainage channels are located within the state, residents and the management of the estate have to clear the channels. They must do something about it and if they don’t, the place can be sealed up”.

Bello decried the level of damages done to culverts and drain channels by telecoms operators through the process of laying their optic fibre cables at Saka Tinubu Street in Victoria Island, saying government would no longer spend tax payers’ money on damages done by the operators.

The commissioner, who also led the ministry’s top officials to the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) in Victoria Island to inspect the state of canal that runs within its premises, commended the station’s management for proper maintenance.

“Although, the NTA management built its station on canal, but I don’t have problem with it because the company maintains the canal properly.

So, if all the companies and agencies that have the network of canal within their premises could maintain them, then we will not have problem of flooding.”