Residents of Ogbonnaya Street in Aboru, Lagos, have appealed to the state government to urgently intervene in an alleged drainage blockage blamed for flooding, stagnant wastewater and the risk of disease outbreaks in the Ifesowapo community.
Residents and community leaders of Ogbonnaya Street, Aboru, in the Ifesowapo community of Agbado-Oke-Odo Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Lagos State, have called on the state government to investigate an alleged blockage of a newly constructed drainage channel, warning that the situation could trigger severe flooding and public health problems.
In an urgent appeal addressed to the Director of the Department of Drainage Enforcement and Compliance Services at the Lagos State Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources, the residents urged the authorities to inspect the affected area and take immediate corrective action.
The appeal, routed through the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, alleged that the elders and executives of Temidayo Community Development Association (CDA), covering the Benco/Babatope Street area, had obstructed the flow channel of a major drain currently under construction.
According to the residents, the alleged obstruction has disrupted the movement of rainwater, resulting in water backing up and flooding Ogbonnaya Street and other parts of Ifesowapo.
They said stagnant and contaminated water had accumulated in front of residential buildings and business premises, sometimes remaining there for days.
The residents further warned that the flooding had damaged household belongings and other property, while the accumulation of dirty water could increase the risk of waterborne diseases and mosquito-borne infections, including cholera, typhoid and malaria.
Describing the situation as increasingly unbearable during rainfall, the community said repeated efforts to persuade the leadership of Temidayo CDA to remove the alleged obstruction had not yielded results.
The residents stressed that the problem required urgent government intervention to prevent further damage to property and protect public health.
They specifically appealed to the Director of Drainage Enforcement and Compliance Services, Engr. Awe, to visit Ogbonnaya Street for an on-the-spot assessment of the drainage system.
They also called on the ministry to investigate the alleged blockage and, where confirmed, direct those responsible to remove the obstruction to restore the free flow of stormwater.
According to the appeal, resolving the drainage problem would help reduce the risk of flooding, improve environmental sanitation and protect residents and businesses in the affected neighbourhood.
The community expressed confidence in the Lagos State Government’s commitment to improving drainage infrastructure and maintaining a cleaner, flood-resilient environment.
The residents said prompt intervention by the relevant authorities was necessary to prevent the situation from deteriorating, particularly during periods of heavy rainfall.
The allegations against Temidayo CDA have not been independently verified, and the appeal did not include a response from the association or indicate whether the Lagos State Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources had acted on the complaint.