The Ogun State government has issued a flood alert, to guide residents of the state in the prevention of flood in the approaching raining season.
According to the government, it is an annual practice,
to predict the rain pattern of the state for the particular year, its potential risk of flooding, what the residents of the state needs to do to mitigate its effects and other general information about the upcoming raining season.
For this year, the state government says, it’s is leveraging the Flood Alert on the 2024 Annual Flood Outlook released by the Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NIMET) and the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) which has predicted that the rain for this year in Ogun state is expected to start in March which was some days back and ends in the first week of December with average rainy period of two hundred and thirty- nine days (239) and an average precipitation of 1786.5mm.
According to the message, some parts of the State has also been identified to experience flash and urban flooding in year 2024.
“Of the twenty local Government Area of the state, sixteen (16) are expected to have highest rainfall with over 1700mm while those with lowest rainfall are lmeko Afon (1541mm) Odeda (1658mm). Abeokuta North (1675mm) and Abeokuta -South(1699mm).
“Due to this prediction, residents living on wetland areas of the State are advised to relocate to a safer ground or create a higher elevation within their residence before the rain commences fully.
“For agricultural purposes, the length of the growing season for the coastal areas of the season ranges between 250 to 292 days while that of inland areas is between 200 to 250 days.
Our farmers are therefore encouraged to start planting from now (April) while those involved in poultry businesses are advised against stocking density during this stress period which has started two months back till next month due to the predicted above normal temperature”
Continuing, the message some fish farmers were equally and strongly enjoined to harvest before the peak of the raining season which is in July.
Despite these cautions, the government also called “on the residents of the state to remain calm as the state government is putting measures in place to cushion the effects of the expected heavy rainfall and prevent damages to life and property through extensive desilting of our various drainage channels, rivers and streams channels.
“Aside from these, the state government will continue its productive synergy with the management of Ogun- Osun River Basin Development Authority on the management of the release of water from the two dams-Ikere Gorge Dam located on Ogun River and Oyan Dam on the largest tributaries of Ogun River to reduce the impact of flooding in wetland areas of the state.
“The state government through the Ministry of Environment is determined to also reduce the impact of flooding in the state through the newly- introduced Drainage Permit which is to guide intending businesses to appropriately discharge their storm water to the final discharge point and avert conflict with adjoining communities.
“Also, it will guide residents against building on flood planes and wetland unknowingly during dry season. Residents are advised to take advantage of this opportunity when they want to develop their landed property.
“Efforts are on by the state and the Federal Government to resolve the age long Isheri flood as it has commenced a comprehensive study of the drainage pattern in the area. Let me use the opportunity to thank the Federal Government for the care and support during the coastal flood experience at Isheri in 2023. We are committed to finding lasting solution to the flood issue in the area.
“The State government wish to complement its effort in addressing the menace of flooding by the construction of 2,975.6m length of drainage channel and mini bridges/culverts, desilt and clear 56,150m length of river /stream courses and desilt 40,000m length of drainage channel across the three senatorial districts. Some of the areas includes; Construction of drainage channel and culverts at Wesley Primary School, Ijebu-Ode, Reconstruction of dilapidated culvert at Saje Dumpsite road, Apakila (Abeokuta), Igbosoro (Ogijo, Sagamu LGA), Imasai; desilting of rivers/stream courses at Yemule (Ijebu-Ode), Sensen river (Sagamu), Onibuku (Ota), Odo-Funfun (Oja-Odan), Opa Aro (Isheri), Sokori river and tributaries while desilting of drainages channel will takes place at Abeokuta, Ifo, Ijebu-Ode, Sagamu, Ilaro, Ota among others”
Conclusively, the government assured “residents of the state that the Ministry of Environment will continue to provide weekly update in English and local languages on expected weather condition to further guide our people as presently being done on radio, television and our various social media handles.
“We are also working on other public enlightenment programmes to further inform and educate our people on the right things they need to do during raining seasons which include the habit of dumping wastes on drainage channels, clearing of their drainage channels”
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