Ogun Tells 14 Communities To Relocate Over Looming Flood
The Ogun State Government has told residents living in riverbank and wetland areas to prepare for overflow of Ogun River in the next two weeks, from the 20th of October to 3rd of November.
The areas are Akute, Alagbole, Isheri, Magboro, Makogi, Orimerunmu, Iro, Kajola, and part of Abeokuta, specifically Lafenwa, Enugada, Adedotun, Iberekodo, Akin-Olugbade, and Ago-Odo.
The government noted that the information was part of its continued efforts at mitigating flooding in the state and its attendant effects on residents through its periodic Flood Alert.
In the latest flood alert released by the Ogun State Commissioner for Environment, Ola Oresanya, the overflow from Ogun River would rise as a result of controlled release of water from Oyan Dam due to heavy rainfall from up-north.
Oresanya said this would increase the volume of water reaching the dam from that part of the country, which would be compounded by an increase in tidal level.
According to the Commissioner, the increase in the water flow into the dam would inevitably force the release of water from the dam, which would affect the areas. He urged residents of the areas to exercise caution and avoid loss of lives and property during the period, the alert added.
The commissioner emphasised the need for residents of the areas to avoid the riverbank while those in the wetlands should move to higher grounds or elevate their stay for now as the overflow becomes inevitable.
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According to him, as part of the mitigating plans, the Ogun State Government had continuously dredged and opened up more tributaries for Ogun River to ease the pressure of the overflow on residents in collaboration with the Ogun Osun River Basin Authority -owners of Oyan Dam who have continually ensured a controlled release of water from the dam throughout the year.
The commissioner equally noted that at this period last year, the volume of water released from the dam was over 17,000 million litres per day, as against over 12,000 million litres per day at this period, despite the heavy rainfall signalling painstaking efforts at controlled release of water from the dam this year.
He therefore enjoined residents of the areas not to panic as the tide will go down in about ten days, as the mitigating measures from the state government cannot stop the activities of nature, as the impact of climate change is felt more by the state as one of the coastal states in Nigeria.
Olamilekan Adigun is a graduate of Mass Communication with years of experience in journalism embedded in uncovering human interest stories. He also prioritises accuracy and factual reportage of issues.
