Lagos Government Apologises For Flooding, Says ‘It is Nature Taking Full Course’

The Lagos State Government has apologised to residents and commuters for the floods that have left millions stranded and many areas submerged. 

On Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Thursday, Lagos State Commissioner of Environment and Water Resources Tokunbo Wahab apologised for the inconvenience caused by nature yesterday morning. 

Motorists were stuck in traffic and commuters were stranded as torrential rains halted economic activity in Nigeria’s commercial capital for several hours.

Many people chastised the government for failing to plan for flood mitigation, particularly after similar events occurred in previous years.

However, the commissioner stated that the flooding was not caused by the government’s lack of planning.

“What happened yesterday was not caused by a lack of planning,” Tokunbo said. “No, that was nature taking its course. And we are sorry for those whose lives were disrupted: they were unable to go to work, their markets, or school.

According to him, the Lagos State Government was prepared for the situation and had dispatched a team to manage the floods earlier in the day.

“Emergency teams had been on the scene since about 4 a.m. “I have been awake since about 4 a.m. yesterday,” the commissioner stated.

He noted that the effects of the floods were managed a few hours later and insisted that “nature will take its course.” What we must do is reduce the impact of nature on the environment. And that is exactly what we did yesterday.

Wednesday’s rain started early, before residents in the state awoke for the day’s work.

Many people who had braved the downpour had left their homes in the hope of getting to work. However, most of them became stuck at bus stops while attempting to navigate the city.

The Iyana-Oworo-Olopomeji area leading to the Third Mainland Bridge was one of the areas heavily flooded, resulting in gridlock that extended to Alapere in the coastal city.

In response, the Lagos State Government stated that it had deployed teams throughout the city to manage the floods and mitigate their effects.