Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola on Wednesday appealed to the federal government to assist the Lagos State government in its efforts to reclaim land overtaken by sea erosion.
Fashola made the appeal when he visited communities in Lekki/Ajah in Eti-Osa local government area of the state to ascertain the impact of recent heavy downpour in the area.
He said that the federal government’s assistance was needed because the ocean encroachment contributed to flooding problems in the state which might have national impact.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that a significant portion of land at the Alpha Beach – where the governor also visited – had been eroded by the Atlantic Ocean.
“The erosion at the Alpha beach, I am told, is a consequence of the rising water level due to global warming. What we need to do is to reclaim the land. We have lost about 50 metres of land and it still continues.
The land is beginning to cave in. That is not because of the rains; it is a natural disaster and it has been on for some time.
“The situation has a national impact because the ocean is clearly redrawing the geographical map of Nigeria. In that sense, we need the federal government to assist us,” he said.
Fashola appealed to the federal government to assist the state by building a minimum three-kilometre shoreline protection in the affected area, as it did at the Bar Beach years ago, to keep the encroaching ocean under control.
“The measure will help to put a check on the perennial flooding in the state, especially in communities close to the ocean, and preserve the geographical definition of the country.
“We have sent the details of how the Federal Government can help the state to Mr President.
We expect to get a support,” he said.
Gov. Fashola said President Jonathan had called him to convey his concern over the flooding to the state government and the flood victims.
He thanked the president for his concern and urged him to further assist the state in rehabilitating the affected people.
The governor said the state government had embarked on the construction of drainage system, including 10 major storm water channels in Eti-Osa.
He said the effort was to drain water from the Atlantic Ocean into the lagoon across the expressway.
Fashola enjoined residents in flood-prone communities, such as NICON Estate in Ajah, to assist the government drain their communities by giving part of their land for the building of the storm water channels. (NAN)
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