By Dotun Ibiwoye
Residents of Papa Ashafa area of Agege, in Orile-Agege Local Council Development Area of Lagos State, have continued to recount their ordeal, following the aftermath of last week’s downpour which dealt a devastating blow on several houses and firms in the area.

The extent of damage, it was gathered had forced several residents to be resettled, even as the Lagos State Government said it would assist the victims with the materials required to renovate the affected roofs and other damages caused by the windstorm.

The state government had earlier warned residents to be cautious stating that the month of March is a period prone to windstorm and torrential rainfall.

At a sympathy visit to the area last Friday, Governor Babatunde Fashola said that the windstorm is about nature at work and usually happens around March.

According to the governor, the victims will be assisted with slates, building materials and other items needed to cover them, adding that the government has moved in artisans, bricklayers, carpenters and some that have been produced from the State’s Technical Colleges to help them rebuild houses.

Fashola said: “If you recall three years ago, it is around March that the windstorm usually comes to Lagos. Two years ago, it happened on Third Mainland Bridge and destroyed all street poles there, last year it was in Epe and this year, it came here.

“If people had watched the news on Friday morning, they would have observed many European countries busy preparing for the approach of thunderstorms which could leave devastation in its trail.

“In the last three days, for those who lost their roofs, we have assembled carpenters; we have also got roofing sheets. Those whom the slates of their homes have been broken, we have taken slates. All of them would be sorted out; they should please just exercise patience. We would look at ways to settle the payment. That is what we are using your taxes for”.

“We need to put shelter and dignity back to our people very quickly before the rains come at full speed. We would go and tidy all the paper work for procurement later because this is an emergency.”

The Governor charged the residents to ensure that the refuse that gather in their drains and gutters are cleaned regularly and implored them to also ensure that they form themselves into community groups like Community Development Associations and Community Development Committees, as well as Landlords and Tenants Associations to clean their gutters.

Governor Fashola, who had an interactive session with residents of the area on imbibing the culture of proper disposal of waste, also had a practical demonstration of the dangers of improper disposal of refuse into the drains for the residents

“Your drain is no dumping place for refuse. Keep all your refuse in a PSP approved refuse bag and the Waste Management Authority would come and pack them but not in the gutters. The drains take in and out our water and when it gets to a place where it cannot move anymore, it will flood our houses”, he stated.

Responding on behalf of the people of the area, a community leader, Alhaji Yussuf Agboola, said the present administration in Lagos State has done a lot not only in response to the present incident but also when there was a terrible problem of flooding in the area in 2007.

“Our Governor did a lot to assist the entire community and when this incident happened, immediately he was informed, he sent out all his team of engineers, they came, we went round all the areas and saw the effect and immediately relief materials have been coming in to support those affected and not only that, those who are displaced have been taken care of and taken to Resettlement Camp Igando.

“On behalf of this community, Papa Ashafa and on behalf of the entire community of Orile-Agege Local Council, we appreciate our Governor and we thank him for what he has been able to do. He responded positively to us, anytime we call for his assistance.”

The General Manager of the Lagos State Emergency Management Authority (LASEMA), Dr. Oke Osanyintolu, who gave a situation report, said the disaster affected some houses and people in varying degrees but assured that the agency was on top of the situation.

He noted that immediately the disaster happened, the Governor directed that LASEMA should open the relief camp to take care of those without anywhere to stay.

He explained that such categories of people were with LASEMA in the camp and were being taken care of including their feeding, clothing and all that was needed, adding that the agency has also invited artisans with whom it was working smoothly to embark on the reconstruction of the damaged structures.

The Commissioner for Special Duties, Dr. Wale Ahmed, who also addressed the residents, said though Agege was coincidentally his environment, but the spontaneous manner the emergency agencies in the State responded were indicative of their true character everywhere such incident happened.

He explained that since the accidents happened, the various emergency agencies in the state have been briefing the Governor regularly on the goings-on until the Governor decided to visit the scene of the incident personally.