The Ogun State Government has urged residents of flooded areas and communities in the state to relocate immediately, as they had been advised about four months ago.
Ogun State Commissioner for the Environment, Ola Oresanya, said this on Wednesday, October 23, 2024.
Some of the communities affected by the recent release of water from the Oyan Dam include Isheri, Riverview Estate, Oshorun Estate, OPIC Estate, Arepo, Mawere, Akute, Alagbole, Orimerunmu, and Magboro, among others.
The state government called on residents in these areas to heed its earlier flood warning to either relocate or elevate their homes during this time of year.
“The release of excess water from the Oyan Dam is unavoidable at this time to avert damage that might lead to unpalatable consequences,” Oresanya said.
“The residents of these areas should, however, be aware that the floodwater is expected to start receding significantly from Friday, 25 October, through waterways, watercourses, and canals dredged and provided for that purpose earlier by the administration led by Governor Dapo Abiodun.
“These interventions aim to ameliorate the problem of flooding, and the state government is working assiduously with its Lagos counterpart and the Federal Government to find lasting solutions to the perennial flooding problems in these areas.”
Last week, due to the imminent overflowing of the Oyan Dam on the Ogun River, the Lagos government warned residents and property owners on the banks of the Ogun River to be ready to relocate to higher ground, saying the Ogun-Osun River Basin Development Authority (OORDBA) would commence a staggered release of water from the dam.
Addressing journalists during a briefing at Alausa, Ikeja, Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, said Lagosians needed to be alerted on the commencement of the water release to maintain the sanctity of the dam and its socio-economic implications for the state.
Wahab said it is crucial to understand that the dam’s annual operations are informed by real-time hydrological data, rainfall predictions from the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET), and flood outlooks from the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA), emphasising that these sources guide the water release decisions to ensure both flood control and the integrity of the dam.