By Olasunkanmi Akoni & Monsur Olowoopejo
LAGOS—Lagos State Government, yesterday, set up an inter-ministerial committee aimed at ensuring proactive and quick response to emergency cases, which might arise as a result of the expected violent rainstorms that might accompany the rainy season.
The state government also threatened to takeover abandoned buildings used as hideouts by criminals across the state, warning that owners of such property would face the full wrath of the law.
State Commissioner for Special Duties, Dr. Wale Ahmed, briefing newsmen in Lagos, expressed the readiness of the state government to tackle the problem of flooding with the cooperation of residents.
Ahmed said members of the committee includes: Commissioner for the Environment, Mr. Tunji Bello; Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Mr. Olutoyin Ayinde; Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Aderemi Ibirogba; General Manager, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, Mr Femi Oke-Osanyintolu; Director-General, Safety Commission, Mrs Dominga Odebunmi and the 20 chairmen of local government areas and 37 local council development areas in the state.
He said the ministries of Environment and Information had been pro-active on the expectation of torrential rainfall this year, adding that the state still "needs to inform the public to keep the awareness on.
Vanguard Nigeria