Osborne Flooding: Why We Need Industrial Pumps, Reservoir- Developer - THISDAYLIVE

A property developer in Osborne Foreshore Estate, Ikoyi, Lagos, Chief Ken Ukaoha, has claimed that his company spent N160 million on dredging and drainage maintenance in the estate in two years, insisting that the recurring flooding problem requires a major engineering intervention rather than attempts to blame individual property owners.

Ukaoha, who is associated with Kenshad International Limited and Kensha Group Limited, proposed the reconstruction of a major drainage channel, construction of a reservoir and installation of three industrial pumping machines to discharge excess water into the lagoon.

He also dismissed allegations that his development at Abba Court, Mahogany Close, obstructed a canal, blocked the estate’s drainage system or contributed to flooding, maintaining that the controversy surrounding his property had been misrepresented as an estate-wide problem.

Speaking with journalists during a fact-finding visit to the property, he attributed the flooding challenge to the estate’s low-lying, sand-filled terrain, gradual settlement of infrastructure, accumulated silt and increased pressure on the existing drainage network.

“Osborne is a sand-filled land. The more the land settles, the more the infrastructure and the roads go down. That is actually part of the problem.

“When I first came here, this whole development was not here. There was no pressure on the infrastructure. But today, you have more buildings, and the volume of water that comes into the area has increased,” he said.

Giving a breakdown of his company’s alleged investment in drainage maintenance, Ukaoha said N100 million was spent last year and another N60 million this year on dredging and clearing drainage channels.

“This year, we paid N60 million. We brought in long-reach excavators. Each long excavator charges us N1 million daily. You can go and find out from the estate management. They know when the excavators came in and when they left.

“Last year, before this year, we spent N100 million. I will give you all the payment details and the name of the company. You can go and do your verification,” he said.

He explained that accumulated mud had substantially reduced the capacity of the drainage channels to convey water, arguing that dredging was necessary to restore their functionality.

“The canal there is full of mud. It is not just a canal with water flowing through it. When we excavate, the mud is almost 10 metres deep. Until we remove the accumulated mud, that is the only time the canal will be free.

“When water comes, it stays on top of the mud. That is part of the problem,” he said.

Proposing what he described as a lasting solution, Ukaoha said installing several small pumping machines would not address the underlying problem without reconstructing the major drainage channel and providing adequate water storage facilities.

“The only thing that can solve the problem is to have a system that can take all the water and pump it out to the lagoon, while preventing the lagoon from bringing water back inside.

“There should be about three industrial pumps at that end, instead of having different small pumps. If you don’t rebuild the canal and create a reservoir, you will continue to have a problem because all the drainage is blocked.

“We have done a design with the Federal Government and submitted it to the estate management and the association. Once they resolve their concerns and implement it, the water problem in Osborne will be substantially addressed,” he said.

On allegations that his property obstructed a canal, the developer insisted that the drainage channel passing through his property was not connected to the system serving other parts of Osborne.

During the inspection, he took journalists round some drainage facilities to demonstrate what he described as two separate drainage systems, arguing that the disputed canal served the Ilubirin axis.

“I want to show you where the canal has started. It is not linked to this one. This canal is not linked to this one.

“This canal is a single canal that absorbs water from the other side. It is not linked to this side of the river. And here, they don’t have a problem with flooding,” he said.

According to him, the canal was designed to absorb excess water from Ilubirin when water levels rose and discharge it when the water subsided.

“The canal they are talking about is not connected to anywhere. It is a canal that absorbs water for Ilubirin, not even for Osborne. Whenever the water in Ilubirin goes high, that canal takes the water. When the water goes down, it goes out again.

“So I don’t know why they say I am the problem of the estate. The canal in question that goes through my property is not connected to anywhere,” he said.

Ukaoha also denied allegations that he constructed beneath high-tension electricity lines, built without permits or used his partnership with the Federal Government to acquire land improperly.

He explained that his company’s involvement in the area was through a joint venture with the Federal Government under a Public-Private Partnership arrangement.

“They accused me of building without having a permit and also building on high tension. Those are the allegations against me. They also accused me of using the Federal Government to grab land. I don’t understand what they mean by land grabbing.

“I am doing a joint venture with the Federal Government, a PPP, build, operate and transfer. That is actually the major issue,” he said.

The developer also attributed the controversy surrounding his property partly to a longstanding disagreement with another individual over access to a gate close to a transformer he installed.

He alleged that the dispute had lasted about three years and was previously reported at Dauphin Police Station.

According to him, the state government had earlier directed the parties to suspend activities at the disputed location pending resolution of the matter with the Controller of the Federal Ministry of Housing.

“The state asked us not to do anything there until they resolved the issue with the Controller of the Federal Ministry of Housing, which I did. I complied with the directive.

“But they went there at night, brought in shipping containers and started working. Even as of now, the place is still a problem,” he alleged.

On reports that Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, was denied access to the property during his October 31 visit to the estate, Ukaoha said he was not in the country when the government delegation arrived.

“I just came into Lagos two days ago. I had been in London to see my children. I wasn’t even here when they started the thing. I can show you my tickets,” he said.

He explained that he had directed construction sites to close following a circular from the estate management, adding that he acted out of respect for the Deputy Governor and the estate.

“There was no circular saying that construction sites should remain open for a visit. I can send you the circular. That is the difference,” he said.

Ukaoha, however, expressed respect for Hamzat, commending his intervention in the flooding controversy.

“I respect him a lot, and I thank him for putting things straight because he told them that it wasn’t any individual that caused the flooding. He explained to them what caused the flooding,” he said.

He further denied using the police to force open the disputed gate, insisting that disagreements over land should be resolved through the courts.

“I don’t know how I used the police. I even queried the police because the Inspector-General of Police has said that anything that has to do with land matters is a civil matter. It is something you go to court to resolve,” he said.

Beyond the disputed property, Ukaoha claimed that his company had undertaken road construction and drainage interventions in the estate over the years, including work on the entrance road in 2006.

He said the Federal Government initially developed some of the estate’s infrastructure, but deterioration over time had made additional interventions necessary.

Maintaining that his contributions were motivated by his investment in the community, he said improving the estate’s infrastructure would benefit all property owners.

“I have been here for almost 20 years. I have investments here. The more the estate and its infrastructure improve, the more the value of the estate increases.

“I am not making any demand from anybody. I believe that anywhere you develop is your community. You add more value. I am not the only developer here. If five people came out to do what I have done for the community, I think it would be a better place,” he said.

He called for collaboration among the state government, estate management, residents and developers, warning against attributing the flooding challenge to one individual without a comprehensive assessment of the drainage system.

“My only concern is that we should find a way to improve the estate instead of looking for a scapegoat to blame somebody who did nothing,” he said.

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