Lagos residents lament as drainage project drags into fourth year

Residents of Princess Abiola Adeniyi Street in Lagos State’s Idimu area have lamented the prolonged construction of a drainage project in the community.

The residents said a contract initially scheduled for completion in six months has dragged on for four years.

Speaking with PUNCH Metro during a visit to the community on Saturday, residents and business owners said the project had disrupted social and economic activities.

During the visit, our correspondent observed that construction work was ongoing, with a caterpillar sighted near Oba Amusa Avenue.

A resident, Abimbola Sanni, said the contractors had repeatedly abandoned the project for weeks and months, making movement along the road difficult.

Sanni said, “The work started about three to four years ago, and life has been miserable for us on this road since then. We have cried out to the government about what is happening here, but nothing has been done.

“Since the construction began, the workers have been coming and going. Sometimes, they will stop work for weeks and, at other times, for months. This has made life difficult for us because the ongoing construction has left the road impassable to motorists.”

Another resident, Tunji Are, said the slow pace of construction had worsened flooding in the community, with water flowing into residents’ homes whenever it rained.

Are said residents initially welcomed the drainage project, believing it would address the flooding problem, but the prolonged construction had instead compounded their difficulties.

“We have never experienced flooding on this scale before the construction began. We saw the commencement of the drainage project as a blessing, but it has now become a serious problem for us.

“Almost four years after the work started, the contractors have only been able to construct one side of the drainage. Whenever it rains, floodwater flows into our premises because there is nowhere for it to drain.

“That is quite unimaginable. A project meant to solve our flooding problem has now exposed us to even greater difficulties,” he lamented.

PUNCH Metro also observed that the construction had affected several driveways, making it difficult for residents to move their vehicles in and out of their homes.

A landlord in the area, who preferred anonymity while citing security reasons, said he had been unable to drive his vehicle out of his compound since the construction began, explaining that he had initially expected the project to be completed within the proposed six months.

He said, “I thought the construction would last for the proposed six months, so I left my car in the compound because I do not go out regularly. Before we knew it, one year had passed, then two, three and now almost four years.

“Some people I know took the risk of parking their vehicles elsewhere while waiting for the project to be completed, but it has become a sorry situation for them.”

A business owner, who identified himself as Anslem, said his business had suffered because customers could no longer easily access his shop.

“As you can see, there is no easy way for people to cross over into my shop. It has been a terrible experience for me. My shop used to be very busy, and this is what I use to feed my family, but now I struggle to do so.

“It was only recently that they placed a plank for people to cross to this side, but that has not really helped the situation,” he said.

PUNCH Metro also observed a heap of sand in the middle of the road, making it difficult for motorists and commercial motorcycle operators to pass through.

A motorcycle rider, who gave his name simply as Ibrahim, said the construction had disrupted their transport business, forcing them to take longer routes and charge higher fares.

“We used to carry passengers from Nobex through this road to other parts of the community, but we can no longer do that.

“We now have to take longer routes, and passengers complain that we charge too much. But it is really not our fault; the construction has made it impossible for us to use the road as before,” he said.

When contacted on Sunday, the spokesman for the Ministry of Environment and Water Resources, Kunle Adesina, said the project was delayed due to variations resulting in the review of budget approved for the construction.

He said, “The delay is a result of variations. The cost that was approved for the contractor had to be reviewed due to the high cost of materials. But one reassuring thing is that the project will be completed soon. We appeal to the residents to bear with us.”