Hundreds of passengers and motorists were stranded on Saturday, as flood from the heavy downpour disrupted free movement on the trade fair and Abule-Ado axis of the Lagos-Badagry Expressway.
The trade fair axis is temporarily impeding the movement of vehicles on the expressway due to the rainfall, which started at 5:00 a.m. and continued for hours.
This forced many passengers to alight from commercial vehicles and resort to trekking.
Some passengers and motorists urged the Lagos State Government to clear the drainage to avert such flood incidents.
Wake Up Call To Lagos Government
A trader in Ebute-Aro, Lagos Island, said that the flood had prevented her from going to open her shop.
“The flood has completely blocked the expressway. Some vehicles that tried to access the road had been trapped in the flood.
“The drainage is blocked by plastics and nylon, preventing the passage of the water.
“Lagos government should wake up to its responsibility and clear the drainage; they should also warn the traders against indiscriminate dumping of refuse.
“I have to go back home now because it is dangerous to force your way in there due to the flood,” she said.
The Contractors
For Toyosi Stephen, a passenger who was now trekking, another thing entirely was causing the flood.
He said the blockage of the expressway was due to the way the contractor handling the project constructed the road.
“One will see that from Abule-Ado down to the Trade Fair axis is very sloppy, making water gather under the bridge.
“This also applies to when you are coming from Barracks down to Trade Fair, so the water coming from Abule-Ado and Barracks will gather at Trade Fair and block the movement of vehicles and passengers.
“The government should work on this and also ensure the clearing of drainage around this place all the time.
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“I have been trapped here, I have to go back to Agbara and sleep,” he said.
Patience
Another road user, this time a bus conductor, Mutiu Suru, said the flood would reduce when the rain stopped.
Also, he highlighted that vehicles and passengers would be able to move freely on the expressway.
“The rain is heavy, that’s why the flood blocked the road, but I can tell you that in an hour’s time, vehicles will start going.
“All we need to do is to exercise patience and relax in our vehicles,” he said.
The floods also affected communities in Badagry, including Mowo, Ikoga, Ansarudeen, Ajara-Vetho, Aghelaso and Zogakome areas.
Really, many states would experience flooding, as we have stepped into the last months of the rainy season. It is usually characterised with heavy rains.
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