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Despite being listed by the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) and the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), as one of the states likely to suffer from flooding with Ibadan specifically fingered as probable to flash floods, the Oyo State Government has stated that it has maintained a flood- free status in the year 2022 against all predictions ro the contrary.
The government, represented by the Commissioner for Finance, Hon. Akinola Ojo, who represented the state government and members of the Project Steering Committee (PSC) of the Ibadan Urban Flood Management Project (IUFMP), made this known last Thursday at a media briefing on the flood- free status of the state and preparedness for the coming year at the Western Hall of Oyo State House of Assembly.
He stated that the significance of the briefing derives largely from the relatively pleasant experience of the city of Ibadan and most parts of Oyo State in the recently ended Year 2022 rainy season, vis-à-vis the pervasive unsavory flooding encounters in over 27 States of Nigeria, including parts of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
The positive experience in Oyo State is further magnified by national figures of loss across the states in the country in the 2022 rainy season as it is reported that there were 603 fatalities, over 2,400 injured, nearly 1,303,000 displaced people and a total of more than 2,504,000 affected people across the country while in Bayelsa around 700,000 were affected with 203,400 damaged houses. Out of which over 82,000 were fully destroyed in October.
The Commissioner stated that this feat was made possible by the conscientious effort of the government through its agency, the Ibadan Urban Flood Management Project (IUFMP) through its modern day flood risk management techniques which he said are in excess of the modest recommendations of federal regulatory agencies on flooding and water resources.
He explained that against the backdrop of such national upheaval, it was most gratifying that Ibadan and indeed most parts of Oyo State were largely spared being parts of the frightening environmental disaster across the land, adding that the vulnerability of Ibadan, particularly, to river and urban flooding is induced by the citys topographic terrain, the problem of indiscriminate waste disposal, building of houses on flood plains, with the tendency of all these factors being aggravated by the ravaging effects of the climate change.
He added that It was in realisation of this that the Engr. Seyi Makinde administration right from inception bought wholly into the full implementation of the Ibadan Urban Flood Management Project, the state-owned flood risk mitigation project with funding and technical assistance from the World Bank, adding that the project has since delivered several massive hydraulic structures designed and constructed to boost the flood resilience index of the city.
He highlighted some bridges bridges and culverts at Abonde-Ogbere, Alaro Poly, Alaro 7-Up, Believers Stream (Odo Ona Elewe), Cele Rainbow, Ebenezeri, Elere Community, Foworogi, Isokun-Ojoo, Maje, Ogbere-Moradeyo, Oki Oke-Ayo, Ola-Adua, Olorungunwa, Omirin, Ogbere-Pegba, Sasa-Osajin, and lately some tens of culverts and bridges across the Agodi, Orogun, and Kudeti rivers, which are at different levels of completion as well as the 80-year-old Eleyele Dam, which was badly hit by the Year 2011 flood event in Ibadan, which has been totally rehabilitated.
“On a much larger scale, the channelisation of major rivers and water channels in Ibadan under the IUFMP scheme is ongoing as evident in some portions of the Agodi, Orogun and Ogbere Rivers. Contractors have been mobilised for Ona and Kudeti Rivers too, alongside the trios mentioned above. When completed, these massive channels, which are in the mould of the popular Ogunpa Channel, would boost the flood-water runoff draining capacity of the city.
“It is therefore safe to conclude that these interventions being methodically implemented under IUFMP have contributed extensively to the city’s relatively flood- free status in the outgoing year. In other words, the conscientious implementation of IUFMP has helped Oyo State to prove the weatherman’s prediction wrong, despite the devastating deluge that happened far and near in other parts of the country,” he said.
He added that while the government is not saying that there were no incidents of floods at all in Oyo State during the last season, there were no loss of lives and property, emphasising that “as a matter of fact, we are aware of some inundation in certain areas of Moniya in Akinyele Local Government Area; with top government functionaries visiting communities to assess impact.
“But the reality is that, aside the temporary disruption to human and vehicular movement before the water receded, there were no loss of lives and property. Also the Oyo State Government is not by this media debriefing, making a mockery of other states and cities that were hit by the 2022 flooding. This is just to enable stakeholders put the project outcomes in proper perspective,” he explained.
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He however called on people not to rest on their oars as all anthropological or man-made causes of flooding in the state are still causes for concern, highlighting improper waste disposal, poor land use pattern and building on waterways as some of the predisposing factors for urban flooding.
“We want to let our people know that we are not yet there and should not rest on our oars. All the anthropological or man-made causes of flooding in our locality are still causes for concern. Improper waste disposal, poor land use pattern, building on waterways, etc. remain predisposing factors for urban flooding. Yes, we are in the dry season now; but let us remember that indulging in any of the above infractions this season will impact adversely on us as soon as the rains return in 2023. Our Governor, His Excellency Engr. Seyi Makinde, has continued to place a huge premium on environmental cleanliness and rectitude as a way of life. Let us all fully buy into His Excellencys vision of a clean, smart, safe and resilient environment. It is a duty we owe to the Earth, which is the only natural habitat available to us. Lets not fail God; lets not fail ourselves,” he urged.
He concluded that “as a responsible government, we care about the safety of the lives and property of our citizens and would not want them to suffer any avoidable losses. We, therefore, count on you to amplify these project gains as well as the precautionary measures going forward. As critical stakeholders and our co-partners for development, all media houses represented are even enjoined to make dissemination of such messages part of its daily routine, as your modest contributions to making our State and City flood-free. The situation at hand demands our proactive response and collaborative effort. As a people, we have turned the corner in the drive to mitigate the impact of flooding in Ibadan City and indeed the whole Oyo State, and we cannot afford to drop the ball now.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Works and Transport, Prof Dahud Sangodoyin said as part of efforts to ensure compliance and keep the state flood- free in 2023, his ministry as well as the Project Steering Committee (PSC) of the Ibadan Urban Flood Management Project (IUFMP), have constantly monitored ongoing projects aimed at reducing incidents of flooding in the state, adding that work on all bridges will soon be concluded.
On his part, the Commissioner for Lands, TPL Olusegun Emmanuel Olayiwola, urged the media to assist the government in sensitising the public on acts that cause flooding and need for proper waste disposal and keeping watervways clean.
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