The Executive Chairman of Itire-Ikate Local Council Development Area, Hon. Oluwafemi Daniel Odunayo, has intensified the council’s flood prevention and environmental sanitation campaign with the successful completion of large-scale drainage desilting and refuse evacuation across 16 critical streets and canal channels.
Announcing the outcome of the exercise, Hon. Odunayo said the intervention was designed to improve free flow of storm water, prevent flooding, reduce health hazards and promote environmental sanitation across affected communities as rainfall intensifies in Lagos.
In the same vein,the exercise was aimed at improving the free flow of storm water, preventing flooding, reducing incidence of water-borne diseases and promoting environmental sanitation across the affected communities. The council prioritized flood-prone and densely populated areas to maximize impact before peak rainfall.
Drainages Desilted :
The following roads and drainage channels were successfully desilted, with all excavated silt and solid waste carted away to approved dumpsites:
Ramoni Street
Temidire Street
Ashimowu Canal Street
Adegbola Street
Ogundoju Street
Olusesan Adetula Street
Alawode Street
Ogunmuyiwa Street
Sanusi Street
Ajia Street
Adeboyejo Street
Zamba Street
Odubiyi Street
Oredola Street
Akanji Street
Jinadu Street
Heavy-duty excavators, evacuation trucks and sanitation teams were deployed in partnership with LAWMA and accredited PSP operators to restore the hydraulic capacity of primary and secondary drains.
Challenges Encountered
Despite the success of the exercise, the following challenges were encountered and documented for future planning:
Security Obstruction: Hoodlums threatened and obstructed drainage workers whenever it became necessary to remove concrete slabs covering drainage channels.
Indiscriminate Waste Disposal: Some residents discharged fecal waste directly into the drainage system, making desilting difficult and creating serious environmental and public health hazards.
Construction Obstruction: Some building contractors blocked drainage channels with sand, gravel, and construction materials, thereby hindering the natural movement of water and complicating desilting operations.
Weather Interference: Due to frequent rainfall, some of the removed silt fell back into the drainage channels before it could dry sufficiently for evacuation and carting away.
Observation
Despite the operational challenges, contractors engaged by the council carried out the desilting exercise professionally and efficiently. All assigned locations were completed within the expected timeframe. Contractors also managed the additional challenge of identifying suitable and approved locations for the disposal of evacuated silt to prevent secondary blockage of other channels.
Way Forward
The drainage desilting exercise was successfully completed across all identified locations in Itire-Ikate LCDA. However, sustainable results will require collective responsibility.
Odunayo stated: “We are intensifying action now so our people will not pay with their homes, businesses, and lives later. But desilting alone cannot win this war. We need continued public awareness, stricter enforcement against indiscriminate waste disposal, and full cooperation from residents and developers. A clean drainage is a shared duty. Itire-Ikate must choose cleanliness over convenience.”
The Chairman urged residents to bag waste properly, desist from dumping refuse and fecal matter into drains, and ensure construction materials do not block water channels. He also warned that the council, in conjunction with law enforcement, will no longer tolerate attacks on environmental workers.
This exercise aligns with the directive of the Lagos State Government under Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, mandating all LGAs/LCDAs to intensify flood mitigation and environmental sanitation ahead of the 2026 rainy season.