Kunle Adelabu
After enduring the horror of serious environmental conditions and hazards for almost 20 years, caused by the collapsed drainage system that runs from Itunmeko through Itunwaiye linking the Itunmoja Canal, residents of Itunwaye in Ward D, area of Ikorodu Local Government, have pleaded with the Chairman, Ikorodu Local Government, Prince Adedayo Ladega, to come to their aid and prevent outbreak of cholera and other diseases.
The situation at Itunwaiye down to Itunmoja, which was toured by our reporter with community elders and stakeholders, was nothing but a disaster waiting to happen, especially when the government is embarking on a campaign for a cleaner environment to prevent outbreak of cholera and Ebola diseases.
While some of the residents said that the collapsed drainage was constructed by the administration of Late Alhaji Lateef Jakande as Governor of Lagos State, others are of the view that it was done long before Jakande’s administration.
The collapsed drainage system aside, with its attendant spillage of waste water, illegal dumping of refuse into the drainage by the residents has also compounded the environmental challenges confronting the area. The fore-mentioned ills coupled with open defecation which make the entire area stinks and very unlivable.
The residents called on the council boss to reconstruct the drainage system for proper channelisation of waste water that spills into their environment because it has completely collapsed.
Stakeholders in the community that spoke with THE IMPACT, also said that they always experience dangerous flooding whenever it rains heavily, citing occasions when residents of the area were almost washed away by the flood but for the intervention of others.
Our reporter that visited the area on Friday was also told that many elderly persons and children have fallen into the collapsed drainage (which is now wide), sustaining different degrees of injury.
The helpless residents also informed THE IMPACT that the community has made several efforts to bring the attention of both state and local governments for necessary intervention but all to no avail.
In particular was the effort of Mr Ganiu Lambo, who wrote and also visited the council on a number of occasions during the immediate past administration of Hon. Wasiu Adeshina. In addition, residents told our reporter that the current council chairman, Prince Adedayo Ladega, has also visited the area but nothing has been done by his administration.
THE IMPACT also gathered that the honourable councillor representing the area, who is also the Council Leader, Hon. Wasiu Shotomiwa, Supervisor for Works, Hon. Ibrahim Fatai Olalekan, and the Council Engineer have also visited the area to ascertain the situation.
Mr Samson Salau, a stakeholder in the area who about three days posted about the looming danger in the area on Facebook, speaking on the environmental hazard that residents of Itunwaiye community are facing, said that attention of Councilors representing the area and government at different levels have been drawn to the situation without any response for more than 20 years.
“This drainage has been in a terrible condition for more than 20 years. Over the years, we have tried different ways to get the government’s attention, but there has been little or no response.
“We showed the situation to previous Councilors who have represented the area, and also the current one. They promised that something would be done, but nothing happened.”
“Last year, shortly after the current chairman, Hon. Adedayo Ladega, assumed office, he visited the area. He initially came to inspect the road project being executed from Itunmaja Junction to Ajina Market. I personally accompanied him during that inspection.
“When we got to Ajina Market, the market women complained about the poor condition of their trading environment and appealed for assistance. To his credit, some interventions were later made in this regard.
“After that, I personally brought him to this area to see the state of the drainage system and the danger it poses to the environment. He inspected the area, looked at the condition of the drainage, and promised that engineers would be sent to assess the situation and determine how it could be fixed.
“Unfortunately, it’s about a year since his visit and nothing has been done.”
The concerned resident explained that the failure of the local government administration to do anything about addressing the situation caused him to bring the matter up on social media.
“That was what prompted me to make a video and speak publicly about the issue. People fall into this drainage regularly. Elderly residents are particularly at risk. On one occasion during a heavy rainfall, floodwater almost swept away a young boy before people nearby rescued him.
“That is the reality we are dealing with here.”
Speaking on his expectations from the government, Mr Salau asked the local government to embark on the reconstruction of the drainage system to prevent the looming danger.
“Our expectation is simple. We want the government to do what is necessary and fix this drainage.
“Too often, politicians come around during election periods making promises about what they will do for the community, but after the elections nothing happens.
“This drainage is a serious safety and environmental problem. It poses risks to residents and could even contribute to disease outbreaks, including cholera.
“We are simply asking the government to come and do the needful so that people can live in a safer and healthier environment,” he said.
A community leader, Alhaji Amodu, who resides at House 32, close to the Itunwaiye Mosque, also stated that residents have been living with the danger for years because of the neglect and failure of the government to intervene despite several appeals.
“We have been living with this drainage in a dilapidated condition for many years. Residents have repeatedly called on the local government to intervene and repair it.
“This issue did not start today. It has existed since the tenure of previous administrations, including that of former Chairman Wasiu Adesina, but nothing has changed. No meaningful work has been done on the drainage.
“Just yesterday (Thursday), during the rainfall, I was here with some other residents. We watched a woman trying to clear the blocked drainage by herself because people take advantage of the situation to dump their waste and refuse in the collapsed drainage.”
He also confirmed incidents of elderly people and children falling victims of ravaging flood, while also asking the government to intervene and save the community.
“As my brother mentioned earlier, there was also an incident where a young man fell into the drainage during a heavy rainfall because it was completely flooded. If people had not been around to help, the flood could have carried him away. Thankfully, residents nearby were able to rescue him.
“What we are asking for is simple: we want the government to come and repair the drainage. The problem is obvious for everyone to see, and it has become a danger to the people living in this community,” Alhaji Amodu lamented and appealed.
Meanwhile, Hon. Wasiu Shotomiwa, the Leader of the Ikorodu LG Legislative Arm and Councillor representing the area, in a phone chat with our reporter, said that he has made several attempts to see that the problem confronting the area, especially concerning the collapsed drainage system and its attendant environmental challenges are addressed.
He said that his efforts had recently resulted in the council chairman to direct the Supervisor for Works, Hon. Ibrahim Fatai Olalekan, and the Council Engineer to visit the area for an on -the-spot -assessment.
Hon. Shotomiwa also said that he had discussed the issue with Rep. Babajimi Benson, the representative of Ikorodu Federal Constituency, who he said promised intervention and also the state government.
While assuring that the administration of Prince Ladega and Rep. Benson, will eventually do something about the situation, the Council Leader, also assured residents of his Ward that he is not relenting in ensuring that the unfortunate situation is addressed.
When our reporter visited Chairman Adedayo Ladega at the Ikorodu LG Secretariat, for the position of the council on the matter, he was on his way out to a crucial engagement and rescheduled the meeting till later that day, but our reporter has not been unable to reach him since then.
When the Supervisor for Works, Hon. Olalekan Ibrahim was contacted on Saturday, he confirmed his visit to the area with other council officials and also promised to get back to our reporter next week.
Some concerned Ikorodu residents have stated that the reconstruction of the stretch of Itunmeko/Itunwaiye/Itunmoja drainage/canal is beyond what the local government can do. They argued that addressing the situation properly required the intervention of the Lagos State or the federal government.
