Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, on Monday declared state of emergency on the flooded Isheri community, in Ifo local government area of the state, as he assured residents of the area quick intervention to save the situation.
The governor added that a comprehensive assessment that would lead to permanent solution to the menace of flooding in the affected area would be conducted very soon.
Prince Abiodun, who stated this while fielding questions from newsmen after inspecting the flooded community, said that his administration was working with the federal government to deal with the situation as an emergency case.
He noted that the time had come to find a lasting solution to the perennial flooding to make the area more conducive for living.
According to him, the state government would see to the elevation of some roads in the area as parts of the solutions to the problem.
The governor said: “We will prioritize the works here because I am touched with what I have seen. I will ensure that we immediately begin to see signs of relief as we are stepping this up. The Minister of State for Environment is already aware. The Vice President is already aware and also the president. It will be dealt with as an emergency and we are taking it as such.
“As an emergency, I will like to take it up myself. Please continue to bear with us as we are going to conduct a comprehensive assessment of what we need to do to make this place conducive for living.
“Whatever that assessment comes up with is what we are going to implement. So, we are going to first start with ensuring that we have the required road infrastructure at the appropriate levels.
“So, if you now built in such a way that we need to relocate you, we have to do that. Whatever it is that we must do to ensure that place does not persistently experience flood, we will do it. But let us wait for the result of the studies to come back and then we will begin to take that decision as and when the situation arises.”
Addressing residents of Riverview Estate, Governor Abiodun said he had requested for an area survey of the entire estate to identify critical areas that needed immediately intervention.
He assured that the intervention would come through the construction of an elevated road with adequate drainages to mitigate their suffering.
The governor also disclosed that he and the Minister of Water Resources would visit the community in few days time.
The governor described the environment around the Kara cattle market as an eyesore and not befitting the dreams of a “new Ogun State”.
He said that the market was not conducive for human living and not in tandem with the Sustainable Development Goals and waste disposal.
He, however, acknowledged the area as one of the biggest commercial operation that provide services to a large number of people, even as he assured that government would go into a satisfactory agreement with the market men and women after which a comprehensive beautification of the area would take place.
The Chairman, Riverview Estate, Abayomi Akande, in his remarks, spoke about the suffering residents of the area were going through as a result of the flooding.
He said that there was a need for a panel of inquiry into the operations of Oyan Dam to stop incessant release of water to cause havoc in the state.
He applauded the governor for sending miscreants packing from the road.
Akande urged the state government to think of converting the area into a Government Residential Area (GRA) through Public Private Partnership arrangement to fast track its development.
