The Ogun State Government has issued a flood alert to residents, particularly those living in wetland areas, urging them to relocate to safer ground before the rainy season commences.
According to the Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NIMET) and the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA), the rainy season is expected to start in March and end in December 2024, with an average rainy period of 239 days and an average precipitation of 1786.5mm, affecting 16 out of the 20 local government areas in the state.
The State Commissioner for Environment, Mr. Ola Oresanya, made this known during the 2024 Ogun State Flood Alert, held in conjunction with the Ogun-Osun River Basin Development Authority (OORBDA) at the Olusegun Osoba Press Center, Abeokuta.
He noted that local government areas such as Imeko-Afon, Odeda, Abeokuta North, and Abeokuta South would experience the lowest rainfall.
Oresanya warned that residents in hilly areas would experience erosion due to the speed of the water, and urged those in wetland areas to prepare for increased water levels.
He advised residents to either relocate or elevate their homes, and to ensure that electronics and other valuables are safe from floodwaters.
The state government has also announced plans to construct 2,975.6m of drainage channels and mini-bridges/culverts, desilt and clear 56.159m of river/stream courses, and desilt 40,000m of drainage channels across the state.
Farmers were encouraged to start planting, while fish farmers were advised to harvest before the peak of the raining season in July. Poultry farmers were also warned against stocking density during the period.
The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of OORBDA, Engr. Olufemi Odumosu, emphasized the need for collaboration between OORBDA and the Ogun State government in the area of tourism, to generate more revenue.
Residents were also reminded to apply for drainage permits before constructing their drainages, to ensure that they have the right elevation for the passage of water and to avoid building on flood plains and wetlands unknowingly during the dry season.
“It is either you relocate from the area or you elevate; may be you want to reconstruct your house or do some kind of elevation if you must stay in that area. Every year, we talk about relocation. It is not easy to relocate. If you must leave in those areas, make sure that your electronics, your chairs, whatever can be damaged is being elevated.
“When we talk about relocation and elevation, it is going to be predominantly around this area. People leaving within the wetland of the state are supposed to prepare for this increase in the height of the water because we are going to have a retention of this lockdown around this period.
“So, people who are located in the hill areas are going to have some kind of erosion because of the speed the water will take in running down around the Ilaro area and some areas in Ota. We are going to have what we call erosion that is going to accompany this kind of flooding for the year.
“The other areas that we will have the impact which is later on are people that are leaving within the wetland of the state and the wetland area are predominantly Southern parts of the state and this are almost flat land, low line land because this are the border towns between Lagos and Ogun State,” he said.
“The state government wish to complement its efforts in addressing the menace of flooding by the construction of 2,975.6m length of drainage channels and mini bridges/culverts, desilt and clear 56.159m length of river/stream courses and desilt 40,000m length of drainage channels across the three senatorial districts of the state.
“Some of the areas includes construction of drainage channels and culverts at Wesley Primary School, Ijebu-Ode; reconstruction of dilapidated culvert at Saje Dumpsite road; Apakila (Abeokuta); Igbosoro (Ogijo, Sagamu), Imasai, desilting of rivers/stream courses at Yemile (Ijebu-Ode); Sensen river (Sagamu), Onibuku (Ota); Odo-funfun (Oja-Odan), Opa Aro (Isheri), Sokori river and tributaries while desilting of drainages channel will take place at Abeokuta, Ifo, Ijebu-Ode, Sagamu, Ilaro, Ota among others,” he said
