Osun pledges action as heavy rain fl0ods communities
Osun pledges action as heavy rain floods communities
Following torrential rain experienced across communities in Osun State, which has led to flooding, residents on Monday urged the state government to take immediate action to prevent further loss of valuables.
The higher intensity of rainfall in the state between Friday and Monday resulted in flooding in communities within the Osogbo metropolis, including Ayekale, Famson Area, Oke Baale, Sasa and Ilesa Garage.
Checks by our correspondent also revealed that Muroko Road, Ilesa, experienced flooding due to the overflow of the Ora River, while the bridge linking Ijaaregbe town to Ilesa was also damaged, cutting off the community from the city centre after several hours of rainfall on Monday.
Apart from Ijaaregbe, Ijana, Ibala, Ayegunle, Idooko and Eesun Ijesa communities also experienced flooding, which impeded the movement of goods and services.
Two residents of the Ayekale area in Osogbo, Akin Olugbodi and Shekinat Olaegbe, said they lost property to flooding that ravaged their area after heavy rain last Friday.
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Olaegbe, a widow, said in an interview with The PUNCH on Monday, “I lost valuables to flooding and many houses were flooded after heavy rain in Osogbo last Friday. The water channel in our area is blocked and a few hours of rain made the water overflow its boundary.
“We live in fear of another flooding at any moment. It has been raining in our area in the last three hours. The government will need to act quickly.”
Also speaking on the effects of the rain on his community, the Olomu of Ijaaregbe, Oba Edward Adetimo, confirmed to The PUNCH during a telephone interview on Monday that the bridge linking his community to Ilesa had been damaged after heavy rain.
“The collapse of the bridge was caused by the heavy downpour at midnight. This morning (Monday), the House of Assembly member representing Obokun State Constituency, Hon. Adewumi Adeyemi, and others visited to assess the situation.
“They assured us that officials from the Ministry of Works will come tomorrow to provide a temporary fix pending full reconstruction. Our children attending schools in Ilesa could not go to school today. We appeal to the state government to urgently come to our aid,” the monarch said.
When contacted for reaction, the Osun State Commissioner for Environment, Mayowa Adejoorin, said the state government had earlier taken measures to prevent flooding in the state.
“The menace of flooding is a seasonal occurrence globally each time we have heavy and continuous rainfall. The situations have never degenerated to an uncontrollable level in Osun State.
“The reasons being the proactiveness of the state government. The supervisory Ministry of Environment and Sanitation, Osun State, always embarks on preventive measures that will mitigate against the negative impacts of flooding before the commencement of annual rainfall. The measures include dredging of waterways to allow easy passage of water, awareness and sensitisation campaigns against indiscriminate dumping of refuse across or along waterways.
“The recent flooding and collapse of the bridge and box culvert that linked Ilesa with neighbouring and adjoining communities of Ijaaregbe, Ijana, Ibala, Ayegunle, Idooko and Eesun Ijesa was more of the physical responsibility of the Ministry of Works, and I am aware they have swung into action immediately,” Adejoorin further said.
