Osun Bracing Up For Possible Flood Disaster

By Ayobami Agboola, Osogbo

Flooding is a perennial occurrence during the raining season in many parts of the country, leaving in its trail losses and pains. Osun State in South-west Nigeria is not spared of the negative effects of the aftermath.

It is to the credit of the state that the administrations of former Governors Rauf Aregbesola and Gboyega Oyetola respectively tackled the situation headlong. Since their intervention residents of the state have been spared of the sad tales that come with raining seasoning.

Unfortunately, the same can’t be said of most of the other states that are at the mercy of the natural occurrences. Averting flooding in the states of the federation has become one of the major tasks of government across all tiers.

The Federal Government recently released funds, amounting to $8.3 million, to state governors to curtail this yearly occurrence following the huge losses and disaster that came in the wake of flooding in Borno State, with Maiduguri, the state capital, almost completely submerged.

Yearly, the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) produces the Seasonal Rainfall Prediction (SRP) report, working together with the Nigeria Hydrological Agency (NHSA) to ensure that accurate flood information is made available to the public to minimise its harmful impacts.

NiMet’s forecast

Recently, the Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NiMet) predicted that 12 states are prone to flooding in the coming days. In its latest weather alert for moderate to heavy rainfall, the weatherman listed the states prone to flooding in the coming days as Borno, Adamawa, Taraba, Benue, Nasarawa, Kogi, Edo, Delta, Anambra, Bayelsa, Cross River, and Rivers.

According to the prediction: “There is a high possibility, in the next seven days, to release water from Lagdo Dams,’’ as the document released from the Ministry of Water Resources stated. It further disclosed: “Consequently, runoff-water over the catchment areas will increase, coupled with moderate to heavy rainfall expected.

“There are high prospects of flooding as a result of the expected moderate to heavy rainfall from September 20. “The streams along the path of the runoff-water release could also overflow their boundaries causing flooding, as we already have saturated soil moisture.” NiMet advised residents of the areas listed to be impacted to take proactive measures.

It said: “Ensure access to clean drinking water and stock up essential supplies. Floodwaters may contaminate water sources and increase the risk of waterborne diseases. Stay connected with concerned authorities and emergency services, and assist vulnerable community members, including children and the elderly.”

Cameroon’s Lagdo

Dam The Federal Government had urged downstream states of Lagdo Dam in Cameroon to activate flood control measures to avoid loss of lives and properties in the coming days. Innovation, Science and Technology Minister, Chief Uche Nnaji gave the advice in Abuja while addressing reporters on an earth tremor that occurred at Mpape in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja and flood risks in some states.

The minister recalled the opening of the Lagdo Dam, saying the overflowing of the dam affected about 137 hectares of land between July 1 and 31. Despite the prediction of heavy rainfall and the warnings given to states, the rains that had been witnessed have brought sorrow, pains and losses for victims where floods have ravaged in the predicted states of the federation.

Recent flooding

However, the recent case of flooding in some parts of Osun State such as Ikire and Shasha market in Osogbo, the state capital, was as a result of blockage of waterways, owing to refuse dumping and construction of buildings. A resident of Gbonmi area of Osogbo, Itunu Olayiwola, urged Governor Ademola Adeleke to follow the path of his predecessors in checkmating floods in the state.

Olayiwola, who disclosed that she recently moved to the area, however, noted that she is aware that the area was prone to flooding anytime it rained years back. She said: “I just secured a shop here in January this year but that doesn’t mean I have not been told the history of this place.

I heard how any time it rained; people flee from their houses and shops. I heard how goods worth millions of naira were swept away by flood. Most painful was the death of a man whose wife works with the Ministry of Works.’’ She urged the governor not to relent in his efforts at ensuring that there is no recurrence of the flood disaster in the state.

A former resident of Gbonmi, who now resides at Asubiaro, Taiwo, recalled how he was held at a spot until late into night for the flooding that had submerged the road leading to his house to rescind. According to him: “I can’t really recall the exact year, I was left stranded in the Fiwasaye area. On that day, the flood submerged the bridge, blocking the means of getting home. It wasn’t funny, as others and myself were at the spot until late in the night when the water level went down.

“We got in the flood to get home that night while we could not distinguish our left from our right. I left the area after another flood submerged my rented apartment. I remember sleeping outside for over a month. That incident put fear in, but I am thankful to God, I’m still alive, some met their deaths as a result.”

Sanitation exercise

Market women and other stakeholders across the state have called for the reinforcement of the weekly environmental sanitation exercise to avert possible flooding.

They made the call at a recent awareness and sensitisation workshop organised by NEMA in Osogbo. NHSA had disclosed that a total of 148 local governments across 31 states fall within the high flood-risk area and are likely to witness flooding this year.

In his lecture, the Osun State Director of Flood Control, Qamarudeen Odesanmi, identified indiscriminate refuse disposal, encroachment of water ways, and mining activities among others as major challenges to be addressed to avoid impending flooding. Market women and community leaders in attendance stressed the need to reinforce the weekly sanitation exercise that has become ineffective in the state.

The agency said the devastating impact of the 2012 and 2022 flood disasters are a wakeup call to all tiers of government to collaborate with NEMA to manage disaster, risk and associated hazards before its occurrence. The programme is being held in all the geo-political zones of the country to ensure behavioural change towards sustainable waste management practices and flood mitigation strategies.

One of the things Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola did was embarking on dredging of streams and rivers across the state, his successor, and current Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola also did the same to avert flooding disaster while he was the governor of the state.
The river was dredged to clear the debris preventing the free flow of water. Subsequently, a reinforced retainer and concrete channelization of about 12 meters wide and 2.5 meters high was made to have a smooth control and flow of the river.

This was to control the huge volume of water as well as guide against a situation where the flood overflows to the road. Other rivers and streams in other parts of the state have not been left untouched annually. Rivers such as the Okookoo and Ogbagba streams in Osogbo; streams and rivers in other towns such as Ikire, Ikirun, Iwo, Ile-Ife, Ode-Omu and Ilesa are also not left out.

Also, the waterways being worked on annually by the current administration include; Esimirin, Agbara, Opa, Gbalefefe, Ogboku and Osun streams in Ile-Ife and Modakeke-Ife axis. Others are the Opopo, Ogbun, Amino, and Akeri in Ila-Orangun. In the Ilesa axis there are the Omiru, Olutokun and the Adeti streams. The Mogimogi and Aiba rivers in Apomu and Iwo respectively are also in the mix. His successor, Oyetola also maintained the same routine in addition to commissioning massive dredging of waterways.

Action plan

Governor Adeleke on his part has also not relented as he has followed suit with what his predecessors have done while initiating other actions of his own to effectively checkmate flooding. These include constant appeals to residents to stop indiscriminate blocking of waterways through dumping of refuse.

The Commissioner for Environment and Sanitation, Mayowa Adejoorin, noted that the government had taken proactive measures through the ongoing dredging of waterways in major towns across the state. Adejoorin said the state government started the dredging and clearing of waterways even before the flood alert was given as it detest the loss of life of a single soul to flooding.

He stated that it would be impossible to stop flooding if residents remained adamant about dumping refuse into canals and rivers, even if the government dredged them. According to him: “Our machines are dredging some water channels in Owode, and Osogbo now as I talk to you. We are not limiting this to Osogbo; we will clear the waterways in all the towns.

“Osun is one of the few states that have not experienced flooding this year, and this was due to our pro-activeness and preparedness towards what is going to happen. You don’t need to be told, Osun is a river state, so we have to do what is supposed to be done and the government has performed so well in this area.

“Apart from Osogbo, we have worked in Ilesha, Ile-Ife, Gbongan, Iwo, Ikire, Ila, and Ikirun, while it is still ongoing in some other towns. As I am talking to you, our machine is on the field working. We are still going back to Ilesha and some other areas to balance our operations with the available resources.

“We have covered every sector, especially where there are suspected cases of flooding in the past and where we have suspected that there may be flooding this year. “We advise our people to be conscious and stop dumping refuse anywhere. Some people have built their structures on waterways; we can see the town planning from the Ministry of Lands.

Some people have been very adamant and didn’t remove their structures, and what we did as a ministry is that we have to drench along the building foundation in order to avoid calamity for the whole state.”

He further disclosed: “The government has always meant well for the people of Osun State and the people are in love with the government and governor of Osun State, so we have to do whatever it takes to be good to them.

“We believe removing dirt and refuse along waterways is one of the things that will prevent flooding, and we have been doing it which is why we have zero cases of flooding in Osun State up till now. I can assure you that by the grace of Almighty God, we won’t have any flooding experience in the state.”

The commissioner said the state government would adopt a whistle-blowing policy to stop residents from throwing their waste by the roadside and at other unapproved sites. He said environmental marshals are already deployed to clean major roads, adding that some would be engaged very soon to join the existing ones to help prevent those who might want to stay up late from violating environmental laws and regulations.

Source: New Telegraph