Motorists and traders have raised concerns about the illegal dumping of refuse into a drainage canal opposite Adebola Idowu Street in the Kosofe Local Government Area of the state.
Our correspondent, who visited the area on Thursday, observed that the canal was clogged with refuse consisting mostly of disposable Styrofoam and plastics.
It was also observed that the water that is supposed to be flowing through the canal overflows into the road, causing damage to it, which slows down movement along the road.
A trader, Maria Yusuf, told PUNCH Metro that, “I see all these people when they come in the evening and just throw their rubbish inside the canal because I go home late. When it gets too much, we gather ourselves and pack them sometimes.
“Anytime rain falls, the water can not flow again and everywhere will be flooded. We will have to use sawdust inside cement bags and put it on the road so we can see where to pass and even the main road too would be getting flooded and water does not gather on the road like that before.”
A bus driver who identified himself as Segun Akanbi also noted that the damage to the road was caused by the overflowing of the canal onto the road.
“This road was not bad like this before. It was when the canal started getting blocked after rainfall that water would gather on the road. If you notice, it is like the road is sinking at that part.”
A resident of the area, Poopola David, told our correspondent that even the food sellers and traders around the area were also partly responsible for the indiscriminate waste disposal in the canal. According to him, “If you check well, these traders do not have waste bins or gather their waste anywhere when they finish for the day. They still casually throw it into the canal. Every one of us is guilty, not just those that throw in large quantities of the refuse.”
David also appealed to the government to ensure there is punishment for any persons caught in the act to deter others. He said if the government could enforce the punishment for the people, maybe fine or jail, they would learn and stop disposing of waste there.
All efforts to reach the Director of Public Affairs, Lagos Waste Management Authority, Sade Kadiri, through phone calls and texts were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report.
PUNCH Metro reported on Tuesday that officials of the Lagos State Ministry of Environment and Water Resources had begun the demolition of buildings erected on drainage in the Ojota and Ogudu areas of the state.
The ministry’s Director of Public Affairs, Kunle Adeshina, in a statement on Monday, said the demolition came after the expiration of notice given to the property owners to remove the contravening structures.
