The Lagos government is engaging with the chairs of the 20 local governments and 37 local council development areas to provide amenities for schools, to ensure the safety of students and staff during the ongoing rainy season.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s spokesperson, Gboyega Akosile, told Peoples Gazette on Monday, in response to an inquiry about whether the state government is undertaking evacuation efforts in schools and households in flooded areas.
Mr Akosile said, “Except there’s a specific school or schools, but right now, it’s still a general thing. The state government has done a lot to mitigate the effects of the rains, especially in flood-prone areas. Not just for students; what about parents who need to get to work?
“If you observed, something happened in Mushin Local Government last week or two weeks ago, when there was rainfall, and there were students who were left in the rain. The local government chairman in the area had to apologise to the affected community.
“At the local level, we’re engaging with our local government chairmen to provide all of the amenities that can help with the schools and students within their communities. So, there’s a lot of community engagement going on, and I believe that everything will be well this time around.”
Mr Akosile noted that all drainages in the state have also been cleared to prevent flooding of roads and communities, reduce vehicular traffic caused by floods, and enable residents to go about their daily lives with ease.
He said, “We’ve ensured that the drains are cleared, so that there won’t be unnecessary clogging that amounts to blockage of the roads. What you’ll likely experience is what you call flash flooding; that’s a natural cause. We’ve advised people to take necessary precautions as they go about their daily livelihoods. There shouldn’t be any need for anybody to be afraid at this time.
“The identified flood-prone areas are given a lot more attention. Definitely, everywhere will be safe for the people. If we have a higher volume of rainfall, as advised by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency, we try to advise people to watch out for it before they decide on how they’re going to go.”
Stating that flooding is sometimes caused by climate change, Mr Akosile urged residents to follow directives from the environment ministry on steps to take to ensure their safety during the rainy season.
He said the Lagos government was not unmindful of the effects of rainfall on the general populace and assured that all necessary actions are being taken to ensure residents don’t suffer the negative consequences of these rainfalls.