Emechebe begins dredging of Trade Fair Canal to save ASPMDA, others
Following the embarrassing over-flooding experiences at the Auto Spare Parts and Machinery Dealers Association (ASPMDA), Lagos International Trade Fair complex, the administration of Hon. Ngozi Emechebe has taken it upon itself to embark on a strategic canal dredging project.
Business Hilights gathered that it was pains when the first rain of the year came down in ASPMDA as the entire plaza was over flooded with water entering many shops and making many internal roads impassable and unmotorable.
However, the young administration of Hon Emechebe took it upon itself to dredge the Trade Fair Canal down to Omonile or exit axis of the canal route.
It would be recalled that in an earlier interview, the ASPMDA President assured that within his first 100 days in office, he will solve the challenge of flooding and from all indications during a recent media tour of the canal dredging project, the job would be completed before the end of March while his first 100 days in office will be on April 26.
Conducting journalists along the canal dredging route, the ASPMDA PRO, Hon. Emeka Anoruka said “ASPMDA President meant well for not only ASPMDA but the entire Trade fair complex because it is the official duty of the Trade Fair Management Board (TFMB) to regularly clear the canal.
“However, in order to save situation at ASPMDA and other plazas, he approved the project and ordered the immediate takeoff within few weeks in office.
“As you can see, the dredging Caterpillar is clearing the forests and not even weeds because this canal had not been cleared for more than five years and that is why ASPMDA is always flooded whenever a small rain falls.
Also speaking, the operating chief engineer of the dredging project, Engr. Friday, he said “No doubt, the clearing is very difficult because for years back, it has not been done. We are doing this project according to Lagos State Drainage and Canal dredging standards. When I say standards, I mean clearing the way down to the real floor of the canal to allow for easy flow of water and flood.
He also explained that before they moved to Caterpillar work,
“we first cleared the entire drainage route leading to the canal so that whenever the rain falls, it will flow seamlessly down to the canal and go off the complex leaving everywhere dry as soon as possible.
“However, in order to do a good job, there was an understanding with the Military authority at the Ojo Cantonment for us to break the part of fence under which the major drainage gutter runs into the canal across the military fence. We broke it so that our machine can have access to the canal proper and do a clean job.
Majority of ASPMDA business operators who spoke to our correspondent during the tour thanked the new administration of Hon. Ngozi Emechebe for clearing the drains and the canal before the full rainy season.
