Flooding: PDP accuses Sanwo-Olu govt of neglecting Jakande Estates

The Lagos State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has accused the administration of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of failing to adequately address the infrastructure challenges facing residents and property owners in Phases 1, 2, 3 and 4 of the Anikantamo Jakande Estates on Lagos Island.

The opposition party alleged that years of inadequate attention to the estates had contributed to worsening flooding and structural deterioration, leaving residents exposed to safety and property risks.

In a statement issued on Monday by its Publicity Secretary, Prince Christopher Odianarewo, the PDP said residents had endured what it described as more than a decade of neglect of critical infrastructure within the estates.

The party alleged that a drainage channel designed to convey floodwater from the estates into the lagoon was blocked during road construction, resulting in water being trapped within the residential areas.

According to the PDP, the situation had aggravated flooding and created additional risks for homes, infrastructure and residents in the estates.

The party also faulted the state government’s reported proposal to relocate residents affected by the deteriorating condition of the estates, alleging that there had been no significant construction at the proposed relocation site.

The statement said, “The Lagos State Government piously promised to relocate displaced and distressed residents to a new, safe site. Yet, up to this very moment, not a single block, not a single bag of cement, and not a single shovel of sand has been moved to the purported relocation site.”

The PDP described the alleged situation as unacceptable and urged the government to take immediate measures to halt further deterioration in the estates.

It called for the drainage channels leading to the lagoon to be cleared without delay and demanded a transparent, time-bound framework for relocating residents who may be affected.

The opposition party also sought accountability over what it described as years of administrative neglect and hardship experienced by residents and property owners in the estates.

The PDP said it remained in solidarity with the affected residents and urged the state government to make their safety and the protection of their properties a priority.

The party also criticised the Sanwo-Olu administration, alleging that it had placed greater emphasis on publicity than on the provision and maintenance of basic infrastructure.