The National Democratic Congress candidate for Lagos Central Senatorial District, Ladipo Johnson,

The National Democratic Congress candidate for Lagos Central Senatorial District, Ladipo Johnson, has warned that parts of Lagos could be submerged within the next two to three decades if the state fails to urgently address flooding, drainage blockage and indiscriminate land reclamation.

Johnson said this on Tuesday while unveiling his vision and legislative agenda for Lagos Central Senatorial District.

The former spokesman for the New Nigeria People’s Party expressed concern over the rising water levels around Lagos Island, Marina and Lagoon areas, as well as the impact of major engineering projects and land reclamation on the state’s drainage system.

He said, “One of the first things to do is to look properly at what the issues are. When Ilubirin was being built, on the way to the Third Mainland Bridge, did they do a proper environmental impact survey? Did they look at it? When you drive through Adeniji Adele from Ebute Elefun, inwards to the Third Mainland Bridge and Idumagbo, look to your right. You will see some drainage paths where people are already rearing cattle.

“So, how will the water drain out when most of the places have been blocked? I’m not an engineer. Don’t get me wrong. But I’m just saying, from a layman’s point of view, these things are there. When you look at Lagos Island itself, especially around the marina and lagoon, you will observe that when you drive through a laid-back path towards the outer marina, you can see, even with your naked eye, that the water level is rising.

“And of course, not to seem like I am tackling anyone, we’ve had a gigantic engineering work to do there with the Eko Atlantic. So you have to look at everything in a holistic fashion. We need to ask questions, especially on how we can sort out the situation. It is important.

“Otherwise, in about 20 to 30 years, we might find ourselves completely below. I believe the same thing applies to Isale Eko, Lekki and, of course, Apapa is within my senatorial district. So it’s not just Lagos Island. Go to Surulere or even Ikate, you will see some houses sinking in different parts.”

The senatorial candidate also blamed poor environmental practices by residents for worsening the flooding situation, calling for greater public awareness and behavioural change.

He said, “Again, I think our people need to be cleaner. For instance, when you go to Lagos Island at night, you will see filth from the markets, especially around the Nnamdi Azikiwe area. How did these things come about?

“Whenever you see people cleaning out the drains, you are bound to see things like plastic bottles, nylons and many other things like that. So the people themselves need reorientation. Hopefully, we’ll begin that very soon in different ways.”

Lagos has witnessed flooding in several parts of the state in recent weeks following persistent rainfall, with residents reporting disruptions to movement, businesses and property damage.

Major roads and communities, including Gbagada, Iyana Ipaja, Ikorodu Road, Ikeja, Maryland, Mushin, Ogudu, Lekki, Oshodi, Agege, Alimosho and Obalende, have frequently experienced flooding, while sections of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway, Apapa-Oshodi Expressway and Lekki-Epe Expressway have also been affected.

Johnson’s concerns came about a month after the Lagos State Commissioner for Waterfront Infrastructure Development, Dayo Bush-Alebiosu, attributed persistent flooding in the state to poor environmental practices and illegal land reclamation.

Bush-Alebiosu, who spoke on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Tuesday, said indiscriminate waste disposal, illegal dredging and unauthorised reclamation continued to undermine efforts to tackle flooding in the coastal state.

Meanwhile, Johnson described Lagos Central as a critical economic centre that deserves stronger representation at the National Assembly.

He said, “Lagos Central, as I said at the beginning of my campaign, is the economic hub of Nigeria. We have the ports, banks and everything. It is meant to be the real Centre of Excellence. Lagos must have a voice in this area.

“When you conduct a poll, you will discover that many people do not know the name of their senators, including here in Lagos Central. That’s because many lawmakers are not representing. A lot of them will tell you. And that’s what I do normally when I campaign.”