By Lukman Olabiyi, Lagos
The Lagos State government has issued an apology to residents and commuters following severe floods that left many stranded and large areas submerged.
The apology was conveyed by Tokunbo Wahab, the Commissioner of Environment and Water Resources, during an appearance on Channels Television’s “The Morning Brief” on Thursday.
“I will start by saying to Lagosians, ‘We are sorry for the inconvenience caused due to nature’s cause yesterday morning’,” Wahab stated.
The torrential rains, which lasted for hours, brought Nigeria’s commercial capital to a standstill, trapping motorists in gridlock and stranding commuters.
Many residents criticised the government for its perceived lack of planning to address the recurring floods.
However, Wahab defended the government’s efforts, asserting that the flooding was not due to a lack of planning.
Read also: NEMA issues flooding alert in 31 states
“It’s not for failure to plan that we had what happened yesterday. No, it was nature taking its full course. And we are sorry for those whose lives were disrupted: they could not go to work, they could not go to their marketplaces, they couldn’t go to school,” he explained.
According to Wahab, the state government had anticipated the situation and deployed teams early in the day to manage the floods.
“Emergency teams were on the ground since around 4 a.m. I’ve been up since around 4 a.m. yesterday,” he noted.
He emphasised that the impact of the floods was managed within a few hours and reiterated that while nature’s forces can be inevitable, the government’s role is to mitigate their effects.
“Nature will take its course. What we have to do is to mitigate the impact of nature on the environment. And that was what we did yesterday,” Wahab said.
Wednesday’s rainfall began early, catching many residents off guard as they prepared for their day.
Those who ventured out were met with impassable roads and severe disruptions, particularly in areas like Iyana-Oworo-Olopomeji leading to the Third Mainland Bridge, where flooding caused significant gridlock extending to Alapere.
In response, the Lagos State Government confirmed the deployment of teams across the city to manage the floods and mitigate their impacts.
Read also: Flood submerges Lagos, disrupts business activities