Govt. Assures Of Safety As NEMA Alerts Osun, 18 Others On Impending Flood

The National Emergency Mangement Agency (NEMA) has predicted that Osun, Delta, Ondo, Sokoto, and 15 other states will witness torrential rainfall that may lead to flood this month.

The heavy rains, which could possibly lead to flooding in the areas, may affect 56 communities. Some of the communities are Aboh in Delta State; Ado-Ekiti, Akure, Idanre, Ifon, Iju Itaogbolu, Ogbese, Owo and OwenaOndo State.

Other communities include Apapa, Badagry, Eti Osa, Ikeja, Ikorodu, Ikoyi, Lagos Island, Ojo, Surulere, Atani in Anambra state, Ifo, Ota and Sagamu in Ogun state, Lafia and Wamba in Nasarawa State, Ikom and Ogoja in Cross River State.

This is just as the Osun State Government expressed its preparedness to contain possible flood in the state.

Revealing the forecast, NEMA Lagos Territorial Coordinator, Ibrahim Farinloye, in a statement, said the communities include Aboh in Delta State; Ado-Ekiti, Akure, Idanre, Ifon, Iju Itaogbolu, Ogbese, Owo and Owena in Ondo State.

Other communities include Apapa, Badagry, Eti Osa, Ikeja, Ikorodu, Ikoyi, Lagos Island, Ojo, Surulere, Atani in Anambra state, Ifo, Ota and Sagamu in Ogun state, Lafia and Wamba in Nasarawa State, Ikom and Ogoja in Cross River State.

Farinloye also listed Jamaare, Misau, Azare, Itas, Kafin Madaki, Kari, Kirfi, Tafawa Balewa, Katagum in Bauchi State, Hadejia and Mige in Jigawa State, Ilesa and Osogbo in Osun State, Kosubosu in Kwara State.

The remaining communities include Anka, Bungudu and Gusau in Zamfara State, Goronyo in Sokoto State, Numan and Shelleng in Adamawa State, Serti in Taraba State, Ito, Katsina-Ala, Vande-Ikya in Benue State, Oguta and Orlu in Imo State and Ugba community in Abia State.

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency, NiMet, recently predicted three days of cloudiness, rainfall and thunderstorms across the country.

The agency advised airline operators to avail themselves of weather reports and periodic alerts from NiMet for effective planning of their operations.

NiMet said moderate to heavy rainfall could lead to flash floods.

The statement reads in part: “The public is advised to take necessary caution, and avoid driving and walking through flood waters”; urging “risk and disaster managers, agencies, and individuals to be proactive in averting the loss of lives and properties during the rainy season”.

In response to these predictions, residents of Osun communities, especially those who live in riverine and flood-prone area have been charged to take proactive measures to forestall disasters.

Speaking on a live radio programme early on Tuesday in Ilesa, the Osun State Commissioner for Environment, Hon. Mayowa Adejorin said government of the state had already taken proactive steps to forestall disasters, prior to NiMet’s forecast.

According to Adejorin, parts of efforts made right from the inception of the Adeleke administration in the state to broaden channelisation and dredge cannals in communities throughout the state, especially, in major cities across zones like Osogbo, Ede,Iwo, Gbongan, IlesIa, Ile-Ife and others as proactive measure to forestall disasters.

He stated that a task force had been put in place all over the state to respond promptly to environmental challenges, stating that it was the promptness often task force that saved the day during the recent Ikire flooding disaster.

Seeking greater collaboration among the Federal Government, Oyo State and Osun State, Adejorin expressed hope that the floods will be more prevented and people’s lives and property will be more secured and assured. He revealed ongoing measures by the Adeleke administration to empower local governments and LCDAs in the state to be more preventive, proactive and responsive to environment issues, not only when floodings occur but to be. effective and efficient all-year-round.

The State Coordinator of an NGO, Urban Alert, Comrade Anthony Adejuwon also lent his voice on the. programme when he cautioned residents against indiscriminate waste disposal,especially,solid waste. He also called for collaborative effort on the parts of government at all tiers and people to clean drains, culverts, gutters, sewages and canals to pave way for free flow of water.

Adejuwon called on government, local government in particular to wake up to its statutory environmental sanitation responsibilities, calling on state government to recruit and train more sanitary inspectors to effect adequate coverage of all nooks and crannies of the state.

On the whole,the entire citizenry have been charged to cooperate with government to ensure safe and disaster living conditions for all and sundry.