Author: Babatunde Henry

Water

By Henry Oladele
Lagos, June 30, 2024 (NAN) Some Lagos residents have decried the poor access to public water by the Lagos State Water Corporation (LWC), amid the cholera outbreak.

They disclosed this in separate interviews with  the News Agency of  Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Lagos.

They spoke against the background of the LWC assurance to the residents that the state public water is the most safe because it conforms with the World Health Organisation’s standards.

They told NAN that they had been relying on boreholes for so many years given that the state’s public water had not been working, thereby exposing them to water borne diseases.

Mrs Abimbola Oloyede, a resident in Egbeda, told  NAN that the public water had not been functioning in Egbeda and Alimosho in general.

Oloyede said that most areas don’t have access to public water.

“I don’t use public water in my area. Unavailability of public water led to increased household expenditure both in buying sachet water for drinking and borehole water in gallons for other domestic use.

“This adds an extra financial burden on the residents who are struggling already and posing environmental challenges with the littering of the sachet water,” she said.

She urged the Lagos State Water Corporation to ensure the availability of public water to the residents to make access to clean and safe  drinking water a reality.

Another resident who lives in Ikorodu, Mrs Bolaji Adesewa, told NAN that the LWC had not been working in the area for many years.

“We all have boreholes that we depend on. Even though we cannot drink it, we use it for domestic use.

“We are also careful of the water we drink because of the outbreak of cholera in town. The LWC should act fast, so we can enjoy potable water in Ikorodu.

“Water scarcity also challenges the ability of residents to keep up with sanitation and healthy living habits,” she said.

Mr Ayo Musari, a resident in the Lekki area of Lagos, told NAN that he had not seen any sign of LWC in his area since he started living there.

“I buy water to drink, which is expensive. And you know we all need to be very careful because of the cholera outbreak in town.

“The LWC needs to be well-funded. With this, everyone will have access to safe and potable water that is free from contamination,” he said.

Mrs Omowunmi Abeeb, a civil servant and resident in Ebute-Metta, told NAN that the LWC was not functional in their area, adding that they stopped getting public water long time ago.

“In the 90s, there used to be public water but it stopped all of a sudden and we resorted to boreholes.

“We spend a lot for water and more for the water we drink because we won’t want to drink from the boreholes.

“We hope that the old times will come back where the LWC will be very effective in water delivery,” she said.

Meanwhile, Mrs Idayat Komolafe, a resident who lives around Adeniji Adele, Lagos Island, told NAN that the LWC has been supplying water to the area since the outbreak of cholera.

“We don’t have a good water system on the Lagos Island, as what we have is contaminated, thereby causing a lot of communicable diseases.

“We hope that the LWC will change and also get the water across to the rest of the city,” she said.

An environmental consultant, Mr Taiwo Adewole, while speaking with NAN, said many people in the Lagos areas do not have access to the public water.

“Almost every household in the state has its borehole, while some depend on well water, especially in the low income communities.

Speaking on the health implications of unavailability of water in Lagos State, Dr Tunji Akintade, a General Physician, told NAN that  past tests had confirmed the contamination of some boreholes and well water by pathogens.

Akintade added that nylon water was unsafe for consumption.

“People can get cholera by drinking unsafe water or eating food contaminated with cholera bacteria,” he said.

However, the Executive Director, Operations, LWC, Mrs Helen Omolanke, assured residents of safe and potable water, advising everyone to maintain good hygiene.

“The water from the LWC is the most safe. We have tested the boreholes and other sachet waters in the past and we have seen that the LWC is the best.

“It is reliable. It takes away sickness and you won’t have cholera from drinking LWC water.

“Following reported cases of cholera in Lagos State, particularly Lagos Island, the LWC has started supplying potable water to affected areas,” she said.

Omolanke added that Iju and Adiyan water works was undergoing massive reconstruction, assuring residents that the two water stations would serve the entire state and beyond when completed.(NAN)

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Edited by Chinyere Joel-Nwokeoma

LWC

By Henry Oladele
Lagos, June 25, 2024 (NAN) The Lagos Water Corporation (LWC) has relaunched Quickteller and Pay Direct channels for easy payments of water bills.

The LWC Managing Director, Engr. Mukhtaar Tijani, said this in a statement on Tuesday in Lagos.

Tijani added that the corporation was going through reorganisation and rebranding process.

He urged its customers to take full advantage of the payment channels for easy payments of water bills to enhance ease of doing business and improve payment efficiency.

“This means water customers have varieties of payment channels, Quickteller and Pay Direct and can make payments at the comfort of their homes,” he said.(NAN)
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Edited by Chinyere Joel-Nwokeoma

Tree
By Henry Oladele
Lagos, June 20, 2024 (NAN) The former Minister of Solid Minerals,  Dr Oby Ezekwesili, has called on  Nigerians, especially the younger generation, to preserve nature by planting trees.
Ezekwesili said this a tree-planting programme organised by Climate Action Africa (CAA) in partnership with the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF), on Thursday, in Lagos.
“When people hear about climate change, they believe it is a distant word which does not have any effect on Nigerians.
“When people hear the word ‘climate change’, they think it is a distant word that doesn’t affect us at all but it is already affecting us.
“It is affecting our farmers, as our agriculture production and productivity are low. It is affecting us in terms of wildlife and some of the insecurity that you see because people are dislocated in a way that disrupts their lives.
“The challenges of climate change are here with us, the flooding and desertification, these are all the things that are happening.
“Now, God has given us the power to do things differently and to counteract some of these things that are affecting us and robbing us of our resilience, productivity and living standard,” she said.
She commended the CAA and the NCF for the initiative aimed at tackling climate change challenges.
“They have a programme to get one billion trees planted across the country. The  CAA has an agenda to plant one billion trees in 20 years.

“It is the best demonstration of Africa setting the agenda and not allowing just outsiders to talk about it.

“Africa must do what it must do in order to ensure the resilience of its own continent,” she said.
She, however, called on the media to educate the populace on the need to care about nature.
“Chopping off trees because you want to build a house is a wrong approach.
“Don’t think of your own immediate satisfaction when you are making a decision, you have to think of the long-lasting impact that decision you are making in the matter of nature is preservation.
“You have to nurture nature. it’s been given to us, spread the news, plant and preserve a tree,” she said.
She said that it was of great significance that two African organisations, the CAA through its forum is partnering with NCF to bring attention to the importance of the ecosystem.
“This is a great idea, ensuring that trees, wildlife and everything that has to do with climate resilience is brought to the public attention,” she said.
The Executive Director, CAA, Miss Oluchi Mbah, during her remarks, said the partnership with NCF was important to ensure where and what trees to plant.
“We have always wanted to contribute to conservation. It is not just planting trees but planting the right tree which is why we partnered with NCF,” Mbah said.
The Director-General, NCF, Dr Joseph Onoja, commended the CAA for the partnership, noting that he looked forward to a long-lasting partnership with the organisation.
Onoja represented by Mr Uchenna Achunine, Director of Business Development & Communications, said the NCF had been providing leadership to environmental conservation and sustainable development.
“We have worked with various government to help preserve our environment.
“We are planting some trees here while we will also plant like 100 trees in some schools soon.
“Since we started the project of tree planting in schools, we go to schools to teach them how to plant and take care of  trees. We also teach them about recycling and others,” he said.
The Project Manager, LCC, Mr Stephen Aina, while speaking with journalists, said the planting of trees was to exemplify the core message of conservation as entrenched in the story of creation.
“We have brought in trees of different species to plant here within LCC and that will be scaled up else where within Lagos metropolis, specifically Epe.
“Trees are essential to our living as humans and if the trees and the plants are no more that means automatically it means man himself will be no more because plants are the foundation for our existence,” he said. (NAN)
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Edited by Chinyere Joel-Nwokeoma

2 injured in road accident—LASEMA says

LASEMA

By Henry Oladele

Lagos, June 18, 2024(NAN) The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), on Tuesday said it had rescued two adults, who were severely injured in a road accident involving a van and a truck.

The Permanent Secretary of the agency, Dr Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, disclosed this in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

He said the agency received a distress call via its emergency toll-free number, saying there was a road accident at a Mobil filling station after Otedola Bridge inward Alausa at about 06.56 hrs.

“We responded from our command and control centre within 10 minutes.

“On arrival at the scene, it was observed that a green van, registration number MUS 919 YA, laden with crates of eggs, was involved in a head-on collision with a truck, registration number unknown.

“The van was on top speed, resulting in significant damages and injuries to the van and its occupants.

“Further investigations at the scene revealed that the van’s excessive speed reportedly led to the accident, which caused substantial damage to the frontal parts of the van and destruction of  the crates of egg,” he said.

He said two adult males suffered severe injuries and no fatalities were recorded.

“The injured victims received pre-hospital care from the agency’s paramedics and LASAMBUS before being transported to the nearby hospitals for further treatment.

“The accident vehicle was recovered with the aid of a tow truck and taken to the nearest police station for safekeeping and prevention of any secondary incidents.

“The slippery contents of the broken eggs spilled on the road and the sides were flushed off by the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, to further prevent secondary incidents.

“In attendance were LASEMA, the agency’s pre-hospital care teams, LASAMBUS and Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service,” he said. (NAN)

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Edited by Ifeyinwa Omowole

Flood
By Henry Oladele
Lagos, June 16, 2024 (NAN) Residents of Akowonjo in the Alimosho Local Government Area have lamented the poor drainage system and flooding in the area anytime it rains.
They called on the Lagos State Government (LASG) to save them from the consequences of the poor drainage system and flooding with the frequent rainfall in the state.
The residents spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in separate interviews in Lagos.
They lamented that the road was always flooded whenever it rained, thereby causing havoc which was worrisome to both residents and road users.
A resident who lives around Vulcanizer, Akowonjo area of Lagos, Mr Kikachukwu Chukwuji, said the area was always flooded whenever there was a heavy rainfall.
Chukwuji said that the flood always affected every resident in the area, adding that movement was difficult during the rainy period.
“From my street to the bus stop is always a problem, it gets more uncomfortable if it is during the working days.
“We have resorted to buying rain boots to ply the road anytime there is a heavy rainfall because the drainage in this part of the area was not well constructed.
“Most times, whenever there is a heavy rainfall, the flood also causes traffic and not only that, some cars also get faulty due to flooding.
“Especially if it is a Monday, fares also become more expensive than the usual because commercial buses always take advantage of the situation,” he said.
He called on the government to find a lasting solution to the menace as the community was tired of the situation.
Another resident of the area, Mr Abdulrasheed Dauda, told NAN that the government should act fact by addressing the flooding affecting the vicinity.
“We cannot just experience any form of rainfall without flooding taking all over the road.
“We also understand that the drainage is also filled with waste that people indiscriminately throw into it thereby causing serious blockage that does not allow water to pass through.
“This is where we need the government to wade in by a form of prosecution or enforcement on anyone seen throwing waste into the drainage system,” he said.
Another resident of Alhaji Idowu community in Akowonjo, Mr Ismail Muftau, attributed the flooding in the area to block drainage.
Muftau said the blockage affects the flow of water when rain falls, adding that efforts to address the situation had been futile.
“Plastics and some particles have blocked the water channels and affected residents and shop owners from entering their house and shops,” he said.
He called on the government to help them in ensuring the drainage is free from blockage.
Temitope Ajayi, who lives around the LASU-Isheri road, told NAN that during the rains, the situation is worsened as floods take over the community.
Ajayi said water from the drainage in this area can cause an outbreak of disease.
“We are at the mercy of mosquitoes. When they constructed this road, nothing like this happened, but look at our road now, everywhere is flooded.
“When it rains, we are in big trouble.
Due to the flooding problem, residents have difficulty accessing their houses and shops,” she said.
A resident, Ayodeji Atanda, who also resides around LASU-Isheri road, lamented in the way the area was always flooded whenever there was a rainfall.
He said that immediately after Odo Eran towards Alimosho General Hospital, a section of the road is always flooded whenever it rained.
“We call on the government to find a lasting solution to that area as that particular place has always been like that in a long time.
“It is always worrisome whenever rain falls, it affects everybody which is not also good for the health.
“The flood is mixed with all sort of things and anyone with a wound walking in it can get an inflection,” he said.
NAN reports that areas like Gowon Estate, Water Street in the Paco area, Ipaja and some other communities around Alimosho are not left out in the flood. (NAN)
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Edited by Chinyere Joel-Nwokeoma

Bus
By Henry Oladele
Lagos, June 14, 2024 (NAN) The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), on Friday, rescued a commercial bus alongside the driver who recklessly swerved into a ditch to avoid the Vehicle Inspection Service (VIS) officials.
The agency’s Permanent Secretary, Dr Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, confirmed this in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

Oke-Osanyintolu said that a female sustained minor injury during the accident.
“The incident happened at Obadore along LASU-Isheri road.
“We activated the state’s emergency response team from Igando base to the accident scene
“Upon arrival at incident scene at about 11.01hrs, it was observed that a commercial bus, with registration number FKJ 870 YG, was involved in a lone accident at the aforementioned location.
“Further investigations revealed that the accident occurred when the vehicle’s driver swerved recklessly in attempts to avoid a VIS checkpoint,” he said.
He added that the reckless driving led to the loss of the vehicle’s control and subsequent falling into a ditch.
“No loss of lives were recorded in the incident. However, an adult female sustained minor injuries in the process.
“The bus was recovered with the help of LASEMA response team, the Lagos State Fire Rescue & Service and the Nigeria Police Force who were all in attendance,” he said. (NAN)
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Edited by Chinyere Joel-Nwokeoma

Truck

By Henry Oladele
Lagos, June 14, 2024 (NAN) About 15 passengers sustained injuries in a multiple accident that occurred at Ketu, inward Ojota, in Lagos state.
The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Permanent Secretary, Dr Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, confirmed this in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday.
Oke-Osanyintolu said the accident was reported via the state’s toll free emergency numbers, 767 and 112.
He added that the LASEMA’s Response Team from the Command and Control Centre, C3, Alausa  swiftly swung to the scene.
“They arrived the scene of the multiple collision which involved three vehicles under the Ojota Interchange Bridge, at 11.40 hrs.
“Upon arrival, it was discovered that the accident involved a BRT bus, with registration number EXY-167XY, an articulated truck, with unknown registration number and an 18-seater commercial bus, with registration number, JJJ-439YG.
“The articulated truck was laden with a 40-feet container.
“Further investigations revealed that the articulated truck, while heading inward Ketu, suddenly lost control on motion,” he said.
He added that the truck skidded off its lane and collided with the BRT bus headed inward Ojota from the opposite direction.
“The BRT subsequently skidded off its lane into the service lane and collided with the yellow commercial bus.
“15 people were injured. No critical injuries were sustained and fatalities were recorded.
“The BRT bus suffered significant damage to the front and rear ends and the tractor head of the truck was also damaged,” he said.
He added that the injured victims were transported to nearby hospitals for treatment.
“Four of the victims were attended to by the agency’s pre-hospital care team alongside the Lagos State Ambulance Service at the incident scene.
“LASEMA in collaboration with the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) officials at the incident scene, activated road traffic control and were able to divert vehicles into the BRT lane to safely evacuate the vehicles off the road.
“The articulated truck was recovered off the road and towed to LASTMA yard at Oshodi.
“The BRT bus was recovered off the road to the BRT yard in Ojota, while the yellow commercial bus was driven off by its owner,” he added.
He said that the  road had been set free for vehicular activities.(NAN)
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Edited by Chioma Ugboma/Chinyere Joel-Nwokeoma

Fire
By Henry Oladele
Lagos, June 14, 2024 (NAN) The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, (LASEMA), on Friday, said a twin duplex was engulfed by fire at Magodo Phase 11, a Lagos suburb.
This is contained in a statement by LASEMA Permanent Secretary, Dr Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.
Osanyintolu said the incident occurred at No. 16, Alhaji Jubril Str. Magodo Phase II.
He added that the agency responded swiftly to the incident area after a distress call was made via the state’s Toll Free Emergency numbers 767 and 112.
“The agency’s response team from the Command and Control Centre at Alausa arrived at the twin-duplex where the incident occurred at 08.02hrs.
“Upon arrival of the team, it was discovered that the fire started at approximately 7.05 a.m. and quickly spread from the main duplex consisting of about five rooms.
“The fire then escalated  through the roof to the other wing of the duplex, which consisted of about three bedroom and a living room.
“After thorough investigations, it was discovered that the cause of the fire was as a result of an electrical surge from the air conditioner unit in one of the rooms in the main duplex,” he said.
He said the occupants of the duplex were evacuated safely and no injuries or fatalities were recorded.
“The fire was extinguished by the joint efforts of the LASEMA’s Response Team and the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, which responded promptly to the emergency call.
“The duplex suffered significant damage, leaving the roofing and interiors seriously affected.
“The inferno was quickly curtailed from spreading to surrounding and adjacent buildings.
“The contents of the duplex, including furniture and personal belongings, were salvaged by the quick response of the response unit,” he said.
He added that the fire service department extinguished the fire and ensured safety of the occupants.
“The inferno has been successfully put out.
“However, while dampening down was on going, one of the fire fighters fell from the ceiling, but was quickly rescued and attended to by the Lagos State Ambulance Service officials at the incident scene,” he said.
He said that LASEMA response team, the fire services were in attendance to put off the fire, adding that the operation had been concluded.(NAN)
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Edited by Chinyere Joel-Nwokeoma