Nigerian workers groan as downpour causes gridlock in Lagos

Some Lagos workers on Wednesday lamented the persistent rainfall, which is causing gridlock and flooding in many parts of the state.

NAN reports that Lagos is experiencing consistent rainfall, causing gridlock and flooding in various parts of the city.

Some workers who spoke with NAN said that the rain has led to a hike in transport fares amidst economic hardship.

This has become a common occurrence during the rainy season in Lagos, leading to disruptions in transportation, businesses, and daily activities.

Mr Oluwaseun Olatunbosun, a resident of Alimosho who works with Fibrenet around the Ikeja area, told NAN that there is always a hike in fares whenever it rains.

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“If there is no rain, I spend about N1,000 from my house around Orisunbare to Ikeja where my office is, but I spend well over N1,000 during the rainy season.

“As it is now, the traffic is heavy, and I am sure there will be an increase in the fare as I am going to the office,” he said.

Another resident, Miss Favour Blessing, who lives around Ilepo in Abule Egba and works in a Spar in Ikeja, told NAN that the fare to her office usually ranges between N600 and N800 if there is no rain.

“Right now, with the rain, the fare could be between N1,000 and N1,400.

“It is worrisome because of the economic situation in the country.

Sometimes I don’t even go to work because of the hike in fare when it rains,” she said.

A schoolteacher, Mrs Juliet Okonkwo, told NAN that most of her students come late to school during the rainy season.

Okonkwo added that the rain affects not only the students but also the teachers.

“We have to make our way to work even with the gridlock because we have a responsibility to the kids,” she said.

Another Lagos worker, an architect, Mr. Shola Ayodele, told NAN that work is always slow during the rainy season.

He added that the rainy season affects his site engineers because they hardly come to work, blaming their absence on the hike in fares.