Amid unfavorable reports of annual flooding outlook and rainfall prediction released by the Nigeria Metrological Agency (NiMET) and Nigerian Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) Lagos State Government has ordered residents to embark on desilting of drainage channels in its metropolis to avert disaster.

The Special adviser on Environment, Babatunde Hunpe gave the order during the monthly environmental sanitation exercise monitored yesterday in Odi-Olowo Ojuwe Local Council Development Area, he urged residents who built structures on drainages to remove it, to allow free flow of water in the drainages.

He argued that maintenance of drainages by removing the structures built on it and desisting from depositing waste in their drainages, would make drains in the state to serve its purpose.

The special adviser on Environment assured the residents that the state government would ensure re-construction of the drains to reduce rates of flooding in the council.

He said the technical team of the ministry would visit many areas in the state again to look at all the black spots after which they will speed into action.

According to him, after the drainages are cleared, the ministry will deploy environmental health inspectors to monitor the areas to ensure that residents are prevented from dumping refuse in their drainages.

Hunpe said the issue of fencing of market is ongoing by the state government, saying ‘We are going to continue until every market in Lagos is fenced.’