Former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Bode George, has blamed excessive sand-filling of the Lagos lagoon for the worsening flooding experienced across the state.
George spoke during an interview with real estate expert, Femi Rogers, where he explained that large parts of Ikoyi and Lekki were originally covered by water before extensive land reclamation altered the natural terrain.
He said the reclamation had reversed the natural drainage pattern, making it difficult for rainwater to flow into the lagoon and triggering persistent flooding in various parts of the state.
According to him, “The whole of Ikoyi was sandfilled all the way to Falomo. We don’t have that history documented. Even I struggle to remember because I’ve never really read about all these things. We don’t have proper documentation of what happened.
“The Lekki villages were there, but it was all sandfield connecting back to Ikoyi. It was all water.
“My fear now is that the lagoon has been sand-filled to a senseless level. If you get to the IBB Bridge, you’ll notice that the level of the lagoon is now higher than the road.
“When it rains, the water is supposed to flow into the lagoon, but they have narrowed it through greedy sand-filling, with everybody thinking they are building waterfront properties without considering the environmental impact.”
George warned that without mechanical pumping systems in place, floodwater would keep accumulating on Lagos roads since the lagoon now sits higher than the surrounding infrastructure.
He said, “The lagoon is now higher than the road. So when it rains, how do you expect the water to flow into the lagoon without pumps? You must be kidding.
“That’s why the whole place gets flooded. The roads are flooded. Go through the Obalende Canal during the rainy season, and you’ll see water everywhere.”
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