Commissioner apologizes for Lagos flood, gets knocked
By Emmanuel Sixtus
Each raining season comes with a disaster that in beyond control. Residents of Lagos State has to brace themselves each year for what could become unwanted river Bank.
Residents at the time buckle themselves for the worst situation that often leaves their properties and homes destroyed.
After the heavy rain that fell in the state few days ago, that turned it into a river, with cars and properties worth billions found under water. A Lagos State Commissioner has apologised to residents of the state for what he called “full course” of nature.
Tokunbo Wahab, Commissioner for environment and water resources spoke on Channels Television where he apologised to Lagosians.
“We apologize to all Lagosians for the disruptions. Unfortunately, this is nature taking its full course,” he said.
The Commissioner’s expression was that of demeanor of a TV meteorologist. He focused more on telling Lagosians why it happened and why it would always happen.
His comment is coming after the flood that should have been controlled wrecked havoc in the state, with no measures to stop further one occurring or the government taking into consideration the loss of properties.
The state and clips circulating online showed the magnitude of the flood. The waterlogged cities of Lagos has taken a significant toll on property owners.
People are now displaced with others struggling to recover from the loss caused by the flooding.
The Commissioner went ahead to speak about what will be done without outlining the government’s plan to mitigate the losses of residents or help those affected to recover.
Residents of the state are not happy with the words of the Commissioner who tends to hide or avoid taking responsibility.
They told him the government has failed to work or channel drainage to avoid flooding. The frustrations of the residents of Lagos were well recorded on social media, with one user saying the government failed.
“Nature didn’t take its course, our neglected infrastructure did,” one user on X formerly known as Twitter said. The comment reflects the majority of comments of Lagosians.
According to analysts, the rain was not that huge to overwhelm drainage, but flooding happened because the government didn’t prepare or plan the city well.
Critics have directed much of the blame on the government, saying that the commissioner blaming everything on nature is deception.
It’s the pattern of governments in Nigeria, they fail to take responsibility and often look for who or thing to blame instead of accept their poor leadership in all sectors.
However, the Commissioner said the government is making plans on how to avoid the flood next year.
1. Enhanced Drainage Maintenance**: Increasing the frequency and scope of cleaning and maintaining drainage channels across the city.
2. Public Awareness Campaigns, Educating residents about the importance of proper waste disposal to prevent clogging of drainage systems.
3. Infrastructure Upgrades: Investing in long-term infrastructure projects aimed at improving the city’s resilience to heavy rainfall and flooding.
“While we are committed to implementing these measures, we need the support of all Lagosians. Together, we can minimize the impact of such natural events,” the Commissioner stated.
