Flood: LASG orders PTOs to remove cables

[Punch]

Lagos State Government on Thursday ordered Private Telecommunications Operators in the state to either relocate their cables obstructing the ongoing upgrading of drainage channels around Victoria Island or have them forcibly removed.

The government also summoned the management of 1004 Estate, Victoria Island, to a meeting on Friday (today) to explain why it constructed a structure on a major water channel.

Government said the management would also explain why it prevented officials of the state from carrying out routine deflooding project within the estate to prvent flooding in the area.

Commissioner for the Environment, Tunji Bello, said this during the ministry's inspection of drainage channels around Victoria Island as part of the measures to combat storm water that is expected to accompany 2013 heavy rainfall.

Bello, who inspected the ongoing maintenance projects at Saka Tinubu, Kofo Abayomi and Ozumba Mbadiwe among others, pointed out that telecoms pipes were reducing the capacity of the cross culvert on Saka Tinubu and other places and therefore, obstructing smooth operation of the drains.

The commissioner said, "We have sent a notice to the PTOs on the need to identify their cables and relocate them. If they fail to do this, the state government will have no other option but to remove them by itself.

"We are appealing to the operators to ensure voluntary compliance rather than enforcement. Taxpayers' money is being used to maintain public infrastructure."

At 1004 Estate, Bello, who inspected a blocked drain and a building obstructing another drainage channel ordered the supervisor handling the rehabilitation of the drainage channel to invite the management and relevant authorities of the estate to the state secretariat.

"The meeting is for Friday (today). If they fail to come, government will have no choice but to mete out sanctions," he said.

The commissioner also expressed his displeasure at the unsanitary habit of the residents in managing their wastes.

Bello said the government was ready to do all it could to forestall avoidable flooding in the area to protect lives and property.

He said, "The blocked drain collector in the estate serves as a major collector for several catchment areas such as, Ademola Adetokunbo, Salvage Street, Adeola Hopewell, Ademola Alakija, among others. The drain is 2,500 metres long and 4.0m wide and 1.6m deep and it drains these communities and discharges its contents into Itirin canal."

The Punch