Lagos govt urged to adopt Netherlands, New Orleans solutions to address flood crisis

Town planners have called on the Lagos State Government to adopt proven international flood-management strategies used in countries such as the Netherlands and the United States to tackle the state’s perennial flooding crisis.

The planners, under the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (NITP), Lagos State Chapter, said the peculiar geographical position of Lagos, with large areas of the state lying close to or below sea level, makes flooding a recurring challenge that cannot be completely eliminated but can be substantially reduced through proper planning and engineering interventions.

Speaking at a Symposium heralding the Annual General Meeting of the institute, its Lagos Chapter’s Chairman, Mr Oladele Akindele, urged the government to study and locally adapt the flood-control systems deployed in the Netherlands and New Orleans, where extensive infrastructure and coordinated water-management systems have been used to minimise the destructive impact of flooding.

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According to him, particular attention must be given to the Lekki-Epe corridor, which is located between the Atlantic Ocean and the Lagos Lagoon.

They argued that drainage planning in the corridor must consider its unique geographical configuration, stressing that engineering solutions should, where technically appropriate, prioritise the Lagoon as a receiving water body rather than indiscriminately directing drainage discharge towards the Atlantic Ocean.

The planners also identified blocked drainage channels as a major contributor to flooding and called for a more aggressive and sustained campaign against the practice.

They recommended continuous public enlightenment, effective monitoring of drainage channels and strict punitive measures against individuals and businesses that obstruct waterways and drainage infrastructure.

The proposal by the state government to deploy specialised sweeping machines on selected roads was also welcomed, with the planners urging the government to accelerate its implementation as part of broader efforts to keep roads and drainage channels free from debris.

The planners further backed the demolition of buildings erected illegally on drainage channels and other prohibited locations, arguing that public sympathy for such structures should not override planning regulations.

They noted that buildings do not spring up overnight and questioned why structures blocking drainage channels are sometimes allowed to reach completion before enforcement agencies intervene.

The group called for the strengthening of the monitoring arm of government to ensure that development activities are detected and addressed at an early stage.

It also warned that planning enforcement must be transparent, diligent and free from compromise.

The planners proposed the effective implementation of the Certified Accreditors Programme (CAP) as a possible way of strengthening development monitoring across Lagos.