LASG SUPPORTS NRC AND RAILWAY COMPOUND RESIDENTS WITH STORM DRAINAGE CONSTRUCTION


The Nigerian Railway Corporation has announced a massive support from the Lagos State Government on the construction of the Carter-Railway Drainage Channel to deflood the entire Ebute-Meta railway compound as well as part of Olaleye and adjoining communities.

The support was announced at a stakeholders’ meeting held at the railway premises in Lagos, where officials of the Lagos State Government disclosed that a contract has been awarded for the construction of the Carter-Railway Channel (System 4) within Lagos Mainland Local Government Area.

The project involves the construction of a reinforced concrete drainage channel running from Murtala Muhammed Way, Ebute-Meta through the Nigerian Railway Corporation corridor, to a confluence point at Iponri, on Western Avenue.

The Director of Drainage Services in the Ministry of Environment and Water Resources, Engr. Adedapo Ajadi, while briefing stakeholders about the project said, it will permanently resolve the perennial flooding that has been a major menace to residents of the NRC compound, and adjoining communities.

Among stakeholders in attendance at the meeting are; Railway Corporation and other tenants which included; St Saviours School, the CCECC quarters, NRC staff quarters, NTA Channel 10 compound, churches, mosques, NRC stations, locomotive yards, the Railway Museum, the Federal Medical Centre General Hospital, and the FMC Cancer Hospitals, both at Ebute-Meta the Mainland Local Government and OJez Limited. Others are manufacturing and industrial concerns and MSME concerns.

Ajadi who led a four-man delegation from the Ministry of Environment and Water Resources, appealed to the Management of the Nigerian Railway Corporation to ensure maximum cooperation during the duration of the construction which he said would be about 18 months.

The Director noted that work will soon commence on the project added that the infrastructure, upon completion, will become an asset of the Corporation.

The Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation, Dr Kayode Opeifa, commended the initiative and assured the Lagos State Government of the Corporation’s full cooperation to ensure the successful execution of the project, which is in billions of Naira.

He assured that the corporation and other stakeholders would take ownership of the project as it would greatly help in deflooding the railway compound and adjoining communities 

Agatha Usman, who represented St Saviour School, lamented the menace that yearly flood had caused the school. According to her, everyone in the school are always apprehensive once the rain begins as everywhere in the school was always flooded. She said the school is happy that the state government is coming with a permanent solution to it.


Mr Taiye Olaniyi, speaking for Railway Museum, lauded the state government for finally coming to the aid of the Nigerian Railway Corporation. He said this would help address nthe issue of flooding in the railway community.

The Medical Director of the Federal Medical Centre, Dr Sam Oguine thanked the Lagos State Government for finally remembering people living in the Mainland part of the state. He said the channel will no doubt help preserve the health institution.

A joint inspection of the corridor was thereafter carried out to assess the alignment and identify affected areas by Directors from various NRC departments and representatives of the Corporation's in-house unions.


Signed.


Callistus Unyimadu,

Chief Public Relations Officer 

For: Management