Lagos Island Perennial Flood Problem to End Soon, Says Sanwo-Olu

Segun James

The Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has said that the issue of perennial flooding on Lagos Island would be permanently resolved soon.

Sanwo-Olu said this when he paid an unscheduled visit to Ilubirin and other areas in the Lagos Island, which had remained flooded despite the lull in the rains in recent weeks.

He inspected some projects on the island to alleviate the problem in Cappa/Okepopo Adeniji-Adele Road and the construction of the New Massey Children’s Hospital, renovation of General Hospital at Obele Odan and laying of three high-capacity pumps at Ilubirin drainage site, and noted that with the level of works done so far, the problem would soon be over.

At the General Hospital, Odan, which is the oldest in the state and the country, the governor said that the renovations were being done in phases, adding that when completed the hospital would admit more patients.

Sanwo-Olu also explained that other general hospitals in the state would henceforth be infused with doctors’ quarters as one available at General Hospital, Odan.

According to him, “we started the journey, the on-the-spot assessment of the reconstruction of Cappa/Okepopo and Adeniji-Adele Road in Lagos Island. The contractor said the project is about 60-65 percent. They are on track to see if they can complete the project before the end of the year. Interlocking stones have been laid, drainages have been largely completed the whole area looks new.

“Thereafter, we went to the construction of the New Messey Children Hospital where we noticed the two buildings that are meant to be coming up. Nine-storey car park has started. Pipes have been completed at the 10-storey main hospital for the children. They have assured us to keep up with the terms of the project.

“Thereafter, we crossed to Ilubirin pumping site. It is the ministry of drainage project where we have current temporary walls, pumping is going on. It is to prevent water from Lagos Island. That is why you saw those pumping stations there. If they don’t do that barricading, water will naturally be flowing back from the lagoon. Since Lagos is below the sea level when the water rises from the lagoon, it can flow back from the city.”

The governor added that “the main observation today is we are constructing a new 1.0 kilometre or 1.2 kilometre diversion from the front of Ilubirin Housing Estate that will take the body of water onto the Lagos lagoon.

“Three high-capacity pumps, I’m told will be arriving next month.

“What that means is that the issues around flooding around Lagos Island can be completely resolved. Once that has been done properly, we can now go back to Lagos Island and address the collectors like Odogiwa collectors and others.

“Finally, we are here at the Lagos Island General Hospital, Odan which is the foremost general hospital in the state. It is a secondary health facility; the hospital is as old as the state itself. And also, after LASUTH, it has the largest number of patients coming on.

“We can see in the last three years we have been doing different phases of extensive renovations because the hospital in itself cannot be closed down. The first phase is the accident and emergency, surgical and emergency. The second phase is the pharmacy, catering and some other parts.

“The third phase is the eye clinic, admin, the ambulance bay, the patients’ waiting area, the children’s ward, and surgical for males and females. The fourth phase there will be new demolition to be able to have additional patients and the doctors’ quarters.

“Just to mention also that the new hospitals we are building, we are trying to also infuse the doctors’ quarters, the one at Gbagada to give residence to doctors and other medical practitioners. We also have another one at Ojo.”