Ejigbo People Dey Cry Say Dem Don Abandon Oke-Afa Canal, Dem Dey Fear Flood And Reptiles

Residents wey dey Isolo and Ejigbo Local Council Areas don raise alarm say di Mass Burial Canal for Oke-Afa, Lagos don turn danger zone as government don abandon am for over five years. Di canal wey stretch from Canoe reach Faseun Bridge don full with weed and reptiles dey waka anyhow. Some people talk say dem clear small part of di canal three years ago but e still bad. One resident, Ariyo Usman, yarn say e don pass five years wey dem clear di canal last. He talk say dem even promise say boats go dey operate for di canal, but na just empty talk. “I see alligator for August dis year. If dem dey clear am well, we no go dey see all dis kain animals,” he talk. One woman, Alhaja Shoaga, add say she no even remember di last time government touch di canal. Dem dey beg government make dem show face.

Di CDA chairman for Olive Estate, Oke-Afa, Clement Olajolo, talk say na everyday flooding dey hit dem since Faseun Bridge block. He talk say waste pushers dey use di opportunity dump dirty for canal, and every rain wey fall dey cause wahala. Olajolo don reach out to Ministry of Drainage and Water Waste, send letters to top government officials, even buy TV airtime three years ago to cry out, but nothing don happen. “Government no fit say dem no know. Thousands of people dey suffer. Make dem fix di bridge,” he beg. He say make government learn from Community Bridge wey wide and fit carry debris pass, unlike Faseun Bridge wey don choke. But Lagos State Ministry of Environment Public Affairs Director, Kunle Adesina, reply say na illegal structures (contraventions) for di area dey delay di work. He deny say dem abandon di place for five years, say dem don clear am for 2020 and 2023, and dem go still do another one dis year.