Oyo, Ogun, Kwara Roll Out Measures to Tackle Flooding

The governments of Oyo, Ogun and Kwara states have reassured residents that measures are in place to mitigate flooding as the rainy season intensifies.

They, however, called for public cooperation to tackle flooding in their separate interviews in Ibadan, Abeokuta and Ilorin on Wednesday.

A Deputy Director at the Oyo State Ministry of Environment, Jonathan Adekunle, said the state had been free of flooding over the past five years due to the government’s proactiveness.

He highlighted the channelisation of rivers and streams in Ibadan and other major cities, such as Saki, Iseyin, Ogbomoso, Eruwa, and Oyo, as part of the government’s proactive measures.

Mr Adekunle added that the government also prioritised bridge constructions to ensure the free flow of water in flood-prone areas.

According to him, other towns and villages prone to flooding are also benefiting from government activities based on alerts about impending flooding.

In addition, he said that the government had been vocal in sensitising the people to the importance of clearing drainages and keeping waterways free to avert flood disasters.

He said that the ministry’s awareness programmes had taken the messages to markets, motor parks and other public gatherings.

“The campaign is intended to inform the general public on how to imbibe necessary safety and hygiene habits to prevent perennial flooding,” he said.

He added that adequate preparations have also been put in place to respond to any likely case of flood disaster.

“The ministry, in collaboration with the State Emergency Management Agency (OYO-SEMA) and other relevant government agencies, voluntary organisations, and civil society groups, is prepared to intervene and ameliorate the plight of persons and communities who might be affected by flooding.

“Apart from the above, we have alerted people living in flood-prone communities in the state to start preparing for heavy rain and its attendant flooding,” he said.

Similarly, the Commissioner for Environment in Ogun State, Ola Oresanya, said that the ministry had intensified public awareness campaigns and drainage maintenance efforts to mitigate flooding as the rainy season heightens.

According to Mr Oresanya, public sensitisation remains a major strategy in educating residents on environmental safety and proper waste disposal.

“We have continued with awareness campaigns and community engagements to educate the people on flood prevention and environmental sanitation.

“Government agencies have also embarked on the clearing and opening up of drainage channels to ensure the free flow of rainwater during heavy rainfall,” he said.

The commissioner said that the exercise, which involved routine inspection and maintenance of drainage networks, was aimed at reducing flooding in vulnerable areas.

He appealed to residents not to dump refuse in drainage channels or obstruct waterways, stressing that collective responsibility was essential to effective flood control.

He assured residents that the government would continue to enhance preventive measures to protect lives and property throughout the rainy season.

On whether the state government plans to evacuate citizens, especially those living in flood-prone areas, he noted that the government had intensified sensitisation and evacuation measures.

He said that the measures anticipate the peak of the flooding period in September.

“Residents in vulnerable coastal and riverine areas have been adequately informed about impending floods and advised on safety measures to reduce casualties and property loss.

“Residents in high-risk zones have been given two options: voluntary evacuation from affected communities or elevation of their buildings and living areas above flood levels,” he said.

He added that September would witness about two weeks of intense flooding, particularly in coastal and riverine communities, warning that water levels could rise significantly during the period.

The commissioner added that continuous public enlightenment campaigns were ongoing to ensure residents understood the risks and complied with safety directives.

He stressed that emergency response teams would continue to monitor vulnerable areas and provide assistance to persons unable to evacuate on their own, especially those unaware of the dangers.

He urged residents to cooperate with authorities and take precautionary measures before the flood peaks later in the year.

Meanwhile, the Kwara State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) said it had scaled up targeted interventions to reduce the impact of flooding and gully erosion across the state.

The agency’s secretary, Moshood Magaji, said priority attention was given to communities most at risk during the rainy season.

He said the agency has a partnership deal with the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to sensitise communities prone to flooding.

According to him, SEMA has been conducting sensitisation drives in flood-prone areas, such as Patigi, Edu, Moro, and parts of Ilorin metropolis.

He advised communities against dumping refuse in gutters and waterways to avoid flooding.

The secretary, however, added that SEMA had positioned relief materials in strategic locations to ensure rapid response should flooding occur.

On the issue of erosion, he explained that the agency was collaborating with sister ministries, including the ministries of environment and agriculture, to control it.

Mr Magaji observed that erosion remained a threat in Kwara communities, adding that the state was supporting low-cost, community-led solutions to the environmental challenge.

He noted that such solutions include stone pitching on vulnerable slopes, sandbagging, and planting of vetiver grass, a clump-forming, perennial grass, to stabilise the soil.

Meanwhile, the Garkuwa of Patigi, Dabarako Muhammad, urged people living along the riverbanks to remain vigilant and take necessary safety measures against possible flooding.

He commended the Federal Government (FG), the Kwara State Government, and Patigi Local Government for providing life jackets to residents living along the banks of the River Niger in Kwara.

Mr Muhammad, a former Kwara State head of service, urged residents of the areas, especially passengers boarding boats and ferries, to make proper use of the life jackets.

He also called for intensified dredging of the Niger and Benue rivers to reduce the impact of flooding and other unforeseen disasters during the rainy season.

He further advised residents living in flood-prone areas to relocate to safer locations to protect their lives and property.

Also, a farmer, Tade Olorunfemi, identified the need for consistent weather forecasting and information to alert people of flooding, especially on farmlands.

Calling on the government to train and sensitise farmers to how to prevent farmland flooding, he said farmers should also seek the best preventive methods for their farms.

“We are trying our best as farmers to prevent flooding and loss of farm produce, but sometimes, the waters are overwhelming,” he said.

A soil conservationist, Ahmad Ibrahim, called on the government at all levels to pay attention to energy conservation, land and animals, deforestation, food safety, water and air pollution.

He said these were major contributors to ecosystem survival.

Mr Ibrahim said that while the government focused more on dredging dams and controlling flooding in flood-prone areas, other aspects of the ecosystem need attention.

He said herbicides damage the ecosystem, pollute groundwater, and endanger soil organisms that maintain soil fertility.

“There is a lot to be attended to; the major ones being conservation, deforestation, food safety, water and air pollution.

“Government should realise that the ecosystem does not consist only of humans, so it is not all about flood prevention for man, but about every living organism, both in the air and ground.

“They should also channel funds towards the conservation of endangered species in our environment when flooding occurs,” he said.

(NAN)