Adiyan water works: Communities seek Lagos, Ogun intervention over wastewater flooding

Residents of Iludun, Alade, Orisunmibare, Marapa and Moboluwaduro all in the Oke-Aro area of Ifo Local Government Area of Ogun State have appealed to the Lagos and Ogun State governments to come to their aid over incessant release of waste water from the Adiyan Water Treatment plant that has destroyed their properties and rendered many homeless.

Specifically, the communities alleged that waste water from the plant is usually released from time to time most especially when it rains so that people would think that it was as a result of the rainfall.

At a peaceful protest rally staged at the Adiyan water works recently, spokesperson for the communities, Evangelist Olade Odulana, said they have suffered too much from the perpetual release of waste water from the plant.

According to him, the communities had on several occasions written letters to the management of the water works to inform them of the damage been done to their communities but that nothing has been done so far.

He said, “We are here to protest against the perpetual suffering Lagos Water Corporation is inflicting on us, destroying our properties. The suffering is too much, we want the Ogun and Lagos states government to come to our aid”, he said.

Mr. Nafiu Tijani, a resident of Iludun community said he has lost all his electronic gadgets to the flood. He said, “My entire compound is flooded, my radio, television have been damaged, i have replaced my fence on two occasions, there is water everywhere now”.

Tijani added that the problem started about three years ago when the water corporation failed to channel their waste water. He said most time they hide under the pretence of rain fall to release the water that has caused some residents to relocate.

He said they are not protesting to fight the government but that they want management of the water works to do something about the waste water so that they can all live a peaceful life.

Mrs. Victoria Ajayi, a 70 years old resident of one of the communities said, “Our houses have been destroyed, they are sinking, we can no longer sleep in our house, government should please help us, “she added.

Corroborating her, Mr Tope Oladipupo, said his house has collapsed and that entire family now sleeps at the wife’s shop as a result of the waste water. “We want the government to dredge the canal so that the water can flow.

“We are not here to fight them but that they should do something about the waste water so that we can live a peaceful live”, he added.

Representative of the children, Blessing Olayinka, said they are tired of the situation. He appealed to the government to do something urgently about the problem adding that they are now finding it difficult to go to school as the whole community is flooded.

They display placards with inscription such as “Enough is enough, stop inflicting suffering on us”. “Lagos water destroys houses in Ogun”. “Don’t destroy our future”. “Governor Akinwumi Ambode come to our aid”, among others.

A visit to the Iludun community revealed that a lot of houses in the community are flooded while some are already sinking.

Meanwhile efforts to speak with officials of the Adiyan water treatment plan was rebuffed that they only want to speak with two representative of the community.