With rains falling heavily and incessantly in many parts of Nigeria, the people of Oyo State have been warned to avoid actions which could lead to flood and other man induced disasters during this rainy season.
The Secretary, Oyo State Emergency Management Agency, Alhaji Lukman Aransi said this at a meeting held with Community Leaders from Oke Ogun in Okeho in Kajola Local Government of the state to sensitize them on the dangers of the impending heavy rainfall in the state.
Alhaji Aransi, while addressing the community leaders from four local government areas of Oke Ogun – Iseyin, Kajola, Iwajowa and Iganna, urged them to prevail on their people to desist from dumping refuse in water ways.
He also advised them against erecting structures very close to rivers and streams.
“NIMET has warned us on the impending heavy rains expected in October in our state and some others in the country. Now that we know before hand that heavy downpour are coming up, we need to prevent avoidable disaster that could accompany heavy rains, such as flood and rainstorms”, Alhaji Aransi said.
“To prevent flood, we need to avoid blocking waterways through dumping of refuse in drainages, streams and rivers. It’s also advisable for us to plant trees around our houses and other buildings as this could prevent rainstorms”, he added.
Alhaji Aransi further warned against moving about or staying in discrepit structures when it is raining, saying that such action is risky.
In his opening remarks, the Chairman Kajola Local Government Chief Salmon Adebayo Afolabi urged the community leaders, including Traditional Rulers and Religious leaders, to heed the warnings from the Sensitization Team and also spread the message to all members of their communities.
Recall that in June 2021 the Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NIMET) in its whether forecast, predicted torrential rainfall in 27 of 36 states of the federation in October.
Oyo State is among the risk areas, with some local government in Oke Ogun areas listed as flood prone areas.
The tour of Oyo State Emergency Management Agency sensitization team to Oke Ogun area is parts of the state government’s proactive measures at averting man – caused disasters in the state during the rainy season.
