Results of a recent survey by Mikano International, on the cause of the periodic flooding in Lagos State and its environs, show there is no relief in sight for Nigeria’s business hub as it signals more danger ahead.
A document seen by BusinessDay on Wednesday from the Lagos-based assembler of power generating sets reveals that there has been serious upsurge in the water level in Lagos Lagoon.
According to the findings, several spots on the Lagos Lagoon have risen by 60-70cm (in Victoria Island, Lekki and Ikoyi) and some others rose by as much as 1.5metre in Agaga Island in Badagry.
“This matter is putting all lands and lives around the Lagoon at risk of the flood which can seriously affect the communities, especially in the areas where the level of the ground is either below or at the seawater level,”Mofid Karameh, chairman/CEO of Mikano Intl Limited states.
Lagos, the commercial hub of the most populous African black nation, is exposed to untold economic and environmental hazards every time it rains heavily. Dwellers of the megacity are forced to grapple with the horrendous effects of floods with human and vehicular activities paralysed.
On the reason the company decided to do a critical survey to know the reasons for the periodic flood, Karameh says in 2019 alone, the company gave loans to about 300 of its staff to relocate from their place of residence due to floods.
“You will be shocked by the amount of housing loan I have given to my staff this year. I live in Lagos and about 1,500 of my staff live in Lagos and that is just one company,” the chairman says.
With a population of over 21 million people living and working in Lagos, the city experiences a steady influx of people from neighbouring states, in search of greener pastures. The city’s population is projected to double in size by 2050.
According to sources familiar with the state of flood in Lagos and its environs, about 50 deaths were reported as a result of the incident in 2018. “About 30 people have been reported to have died due to flooding and just last week six people also died,” the source said on the condition of anonymity.
Checks by BusienssDay reveal that after a few hours of rainfall in the early hours of Saturday, an ugly memento of dead person were reported, two collapsed buildings and other sorrowful tales from the residents were left behind.
The Centre of Excellence, which has earned the status of the largest city in Africa, has a high proportion of residents living in flood-prone areas. Many of these people are actively employed and vital to the economy; nevertheless, they are forced to settle in these areas due to affordability and other socio-economic reasons.
According to the findings from the survey, the flooding in Lagos is as a result of the recent real estate developments in the city. This is coupled with the fact that the canal in which the water in the state can flow through into the ocean has become smaller.
The chief executive therefore recommends the opening of two or three canals in areas close to the ocean, where there are not many economic activities to allow easy passage of the water into the sea.
“Geographical study of the areas has been done where the Lagos Lagoon is passing, and it was discovered that other canals can be opened to help the Lagoon flowing into the sea,” Karameh says.
Some of the proposed canals that can be opened to the ocean include: the canal in Ojo area and the canal near the end of Snake Island.
In his remarks, the chief executive notes that his interest in solving the flooding issues in Lagos is not because he needs contract, but for the lives of people in the state to be safe.
“I don’t want contract. That is not the reason why I am talking about this. Just to save Lagos and its people,” he states.
