The Lagos State Government has commenced efforts to put an end to decades of persistent flooding in Ebute Meta with the construction of the Carter Railway Drainage Channel, a major stormwater infrastructure project designed to permanently deflood the area.
The project, which will run through the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) corridor and discharge into the Iponri confluence on Western Avenue, was unveiled at a stakeholders’ meeting held at the NRC compound in Ebute Meta.
Officials of the Ministry of Environment and Water Resources said the intervention, known as the Carter Railway Channel (System 4), is part of the state’s broader flood control and drainage master plan aimed at protecting flood-prone communities across Lagos.
According to the officials, the contract for the project has been awarded and construction work is expected to commence shortly. When completed, the drainage channel is expected to significantly reduce stormwater buildup within the railway community and adjoining neighbourhoods that have for years suffered from seasonal flooding.
They explained that the channel would effectively convey excess stormwater from Ebute Meta and surrounding areas directly to the Iponri confluence, thereby preventing the overflow that often inundates homes, rail facilities and access roads during heavy rainfall.
The government also assured residents and stakeholders of minimal disruption during construction, while calling for cooperation from the community to ensure the smooth execution of the project.
Residents and community leaders at the meeting welcomed the intervention, expressing optimism that the long-standing flooding challenge in Ebute Meta would soon become a thing of the past.
