The Lagos State Government has promised to continue the provision of the necessary logistics and moral support for operatives of the Emergency Flood Abatement Gang who clean drainages across the state.
The state Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tunji Bello, made the promise, according to a statement on Monday, during the end-of-year 2022 Award of Excellence event, held in Alausa, Ikeja.
Bello said, “The EFAG team which was created in 2004 has been doing a good job in cleaning up secondary drains and manholes in the 52 local government areas and local council development areas across the state all year round.
“The Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has approved 100 per cent 13th month salary for the EFAG team this December, and a free health insurance policy has been put in place considering the risk they are exposed to in the course of their duties.
Lagos did not experience serious flooding this year compared to other states in the country because of the various measures put in place by the government and the continuous cleaning of the drains by EFAG. They are part of the government’s structure and as they work harder, more packages will come.”
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Drainage and Water Resources, Joe Igbokwe, said, “I want to assure all members of the EFAG team that the government will continue to take good care of you while you take care of the job for sustainability.”
The Permanent Secretary, Office of Drainage Services and Water Resources, Lekan Shodeinde, disclosed that the EFAG team cleaned over 624 kilometres of drainages in 2022.