Lagos govt calls for completion of drainage network on Lagos-Abeokuta Express Road

… Says it Will Assist in Deflooding Expressway, Environs

Following the flash floods which ravaged the Ahmadiyyah/Ijaiye axis of the Lagos Abeokuta Expressway on Sunday, the Lagos State Government, on Tuesday, called for the prompt completion of the ongoing expansion of the drainage culvert along the highway.

According to a statement signed by Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tunji Bello, the ongoing road rehabilitation work being done by Julius Berger Nigeria Limited for the Federal Government involves the necessary expansion of the old culvert underneath the Expressway, which is inadequate to contain stormwater runoff from the catchments.

He explained that the expansion will ensure that rainwater flows freely and easily into the collector drain downstream of the culvert, noting that this singular measure, when undertaken will take all the rainwater, such as the one that flooded the Expressway on Sunday, into the 2.0 meters by 1.5metres Collector that eventually discharges into the Akinola River.

The Commissioner added that the State Government also intends to increase the capacity of the existing collector downstream of the culvert to 5.0 metres by 1.5 metres in size early next year.

On the progress of work on deflooding Akowonjo road, Bello said the Contractor is about to move to the critical stage of cutting Akowonjo Road by Vulcaniser Bus Stop to link the drain on Jimoh Akinremi Street.

He stated that when approval for traffic diversion is obtained from the Ministry of Transportation, the Contractor will complete this phase of the project by cutting the road and laying the concrete sections over the weekend, working day and night to reduce the burden on road users at the peak period during the week.

Bello explained that the existing drain on Jimoh Akinremi is stagnant and presently floods Akowonjo Road and must be opened up to run across Akowonjo Road into the already constructed collector, which discharges into the Airport via Shasha road conduit.

He, however, reminded residents that Lagos is a coastal city that is bound to experience flash flooding, assuring that the State is determined to ensure that drainage channels are being cleaned and maintained on a regular basis to contain rainwater.

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