By Olasunkanmi Akoni & Monsur Olowoopejo
LAGOS — Lagos State Government, yesterday, called on  authorities of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC; Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN and telecommunication operators in the state to embark on a round check exercise aimed at fixing all dilapidated and weakened pipelines, electric and telephone poles in the state. This is to avoid further loss of lives, following  Sunday’s  downpour in the state which led to the death of no fewer than 31 persons.

Similarly, the state government has urged  Nigerians and Lagos residents to donate relief materials to people displaced by the flood because government cannot do it alone.

Speaking on the need for the checks, Director-General of the Lagos State Safety Commission, LSC, Mrs Dominga Odebunmi, at a two-day seminar on event risk and safety management, with the theme: “Organising and Managing Events Safely,” noted: “Psipelines, electric and telephone poles are vulnerable at this time of the season. They are weak and need urgent repairs.

“The rain is not going to add value to them but make them dilapidate faster. Pipelines can at this time easily spill petroleum product into the soil while the poles can fall at slightest impact anytime on residents of Lagos.”

According to Odebunmi, “There are many poles that are outdated and still hanging on the streets of Lagos. These poles are just metres above mini-buses,  which may fall on residents any moment from now. We urge both PHCN and telephone operators to remove poles that are out of use and replace them with new ones that can withstand the downpour.”

She also urged car owners, parents and teachers in the state to adopt all the necessary safety measures as the rainy season persists.