For more than two weeks, people living and doing business in certain areas of Ogun State have been displaced and traumatised by perennial flood incident. DAYO AYEYEMI and OLAYINKA OLUKOYA present their story.
Residents, traders and other business owners ventures situated in estates like Isheri Riverview, and other areas in Warewa, OPIC and along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway are in a watery situation. They were sent packing, yet again, by surging floods reportedly caused by the release of excess water from the reservoirs of the Oyan dam.
The flood is a regular occurrence in these areas, attributed not just to the release of water from the Oyan dam this time around, but to construction on waterways and climate change.
Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State, on Monday, declared state of emergency on the community, promising that a comprehensive assessment that would lead to permanent solution to the menace of flooding in the affected area would be conducted very soon.
The governor stated this while fielding questions from newsmen after inspecting the flooded community, adding that his administration is working with the Federal Government to deal with the situation as an emergency case.
‘We are still in shock’
“We are still in shock.” These were the words of residents of Warewa and other communities whose houses and livelihoods were affected by the ravaging flood as a result of the water released from Ogun Osun River Basin Development Authority (OORBDA) dam located in Oyan, Abeokuta North.
Two weeks after, the residents and business owners are still lamenting over their dislocation and losses.
For residents of Riverview Estate, OPIC Estate, River Valley Estates, Kara, Arepo and Gaun in Magboro, Ogun State, the pains and fear of having their houses flooded and properties destroyed are written all over their faces.
Speaking with the Nigerian Tribune, one of the residents in Warewa, Mrs Susan Jackson, said that most residents are still in shock over their losses.
Narrating her experience, she said that during the first week when the flood started she actually developed fever, seeing her house and major streets in the community flooded.
“I actually developed fever because the water usually comes with snakes, leeches and crocodiles.
“When you go to work and come back in the night, everywhere is dark. You are not afraid of getting wet by the flood, but afraid of dipping your feet into the mouth of snake or crocodile.
“I am gripped by fear whenever I remember I have to cross the river. I am always afraid walking through the flood,” she said.
Also speaking, another resident in Magboro, Malomo Ajayi, said that many buildings were covered by the flood.
“The flood covered people’s shops and worship centres,” she said.
According to her, the ravaging flood was bigger than what the communities around could handle.
“The water almost swept away a school child if not for people around that came to the rescue,” she said.
Another resident, Mr Rasheed Bankole, said his car was trapped in the flood at Kara, explaining that he is still waiting for the flood to subside to bring out the car.
At Gaun, where the flood covered the main road leading to the community, Bankole said vehicle owners had to park their cars and buses at a distance and waded through the water to reach their houses.
He raised the alarm that most of the wells in the locality have been contaminated by the ravaging flood.
“For those using wells, they are already contaminated.
“For the past two weeks, there was no power supply because the electric poles connecting the community was swept away by the ravaging flood,” he said.
Residents seek refuge
Nigerian Tribune gathered that scores of residents in these communities have already abandoned their homes to squat with friends and family members living in Lagos and other safe locations pending the time the flood waters will subside.
According to the chairman of the Residents’ Association of River Valley Estate, Mr Abayomi Akinde, the flood has affected over 2,000 residents in the estate.
He said many of the residents have moved out of their houses due to the ravaging flood.
According to him, the water covered streets and houses in the estate.
“Although I am still in my house, the water is already all over my compound. Many of our landlords have relocated to other places,” he said.
Already, many of the residents and business owners around River Valley and Warewa communities on the Long Bridge could not access their residences and work places due to the deluge.
Akinde said: “Looking back, we are regretting the decision to buy land in the estate, but we just pretend that all was well even when all was never well.”
Narrating how he and other residents got to know about the estate which was created during former governor Gbenga Daniel’s administration in Ogun State in 2008, Akinde said it was through government’s advertorial and publicity.
Besides, he said the officials of government came to the United Kingdom and United States of America to market the housing estate to Nigerians in the diaspora.
“There was a time they came to the diaspora to market the housing estate. They also displayed it on billboards. They told us they were mirroring the housing scheme towards a particular estate in South Africa.
“We were attracted and I even helped to market the estate to my friends. Literarily, I was helping people to obtain forms because of the proximity of the estate to Lagos and closeness to major expressway,” Akinde lamented.
Another resident, Pat Olowokere, said he had to wade through the water, while women have to employ the service of people who will carry them on their backs to cross the flooded roads.
He said, “These guys collect between N200 and N300 depending on individuals for their service.”
The warning from Lagos
The Lagos State government had in the last two weeks, asked all residents along the Ogun River bank in the state to relocate immediately.
The affected areas included Alagbole, Meiran, Maidan, Kara, Isheri-Olowora, Agiliti, Owode-Onirin, Owode-Elede, Agboyi I, Agboyi II, Ajegunle, Itowolo, Majidun, Ibeshe, Baiyeku, Maidan, Lekki-Ajah and the Lagos Lagoon boundaries.
Government said the call became imperative following the additional alert issued by the Ogun Osun River Basin Authority on operation of Oyan Dam for flood in September and October.
The statement signed by Commissioner, for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab showed that comparatively for the Year 2021, total rainfall was 969mm while for 2022, it was 1,140mm. When compared with the first 10 months of this year, rainfall amounted to 1,410.1mm which is a significant rise.
In addition, for the amount of water spilled by the River Basin Authority for the whole of 2021, it amounted to 1,140mcm, while for 2022, the amount of water spilled was slightly higher at 1,475.6mcm while for the 10 months of this year, a very significant 2,274mcm has been released with 532.2mcm and 348.7mcm released in September and October respectfully.
According to the statistical table released by the River Basin Authority, the amount of rainfall recorded from January to October 2023 (1,410.0mm) indicated that most of the rainfall in the area has fallen.
“Likewise, the volume of water released from January to October 15, 2023 is more than the average synthesised annual flow volume of 1,770mcm against a gross storage of 2790mcm,” he said.
He stated that the utmost concern of the state government is safety of lives and properties of residents, saying this explained the urgent call for relocation by those affected.
The commissioner reiterated his appeal to all residents across the state to be wary of the fact that Lagos is a coastal city that is bound to experience flash flood and it is expedient for them to cooperate with the state government in ensuring the success of measures put in place, including the early warning alert to mitigate the effects of flash flooding.
NEMA’s explanation
National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA)’s Zonal Coordinator, Ibrahim Farinloye, explained that the release of water started in January this year, and that there has been a consistent release throughout the year.
The last release was from Monday, October 16 to Wednesday, October 18. He said the emergency management agencies were in constant touch with the management of the Oyan Dam through the Ogun Osun River Basin Authority.
According to him, the authority started reduction in the release of the dam water from Thursday, October 19, as the safety of the dam had to be achieved.
“One thing that we must know is that the volume of water as of the time of current release was 2,274mcm as against last year’s 1,410.1mcm.
“That most of the vulnerable communities have been sensitised about the expected volume of water.
“We have been to Maidan, Agboyi, Agiliti and others which are low-lying communities along flowing areas,” he said.
The agency and other stakeholders, he said, have carried out regular assessments on the residents and “they all preferred to relocate to their relations and friends and return daily to carry out their businesses in the communities.
“But disappointing is the refusal of some residents refusing to comply with safety standard in the use of life safety jackets while using canoes for daily activities,” Farinloye said.
However, he said the current assessment of the situation had shown that the water levels have started receding in most communities.
Residents weigh in on the cause, solutions
Residents of the affected areas have spoken about what they consider the cause and solution to the perennial flooding. A resident of Isheri North Residential Association, Akintola Omigbodun, an engineer, said that the purpose of any multipurpose dam should be irrigation and not controlled erosion, referring to the Oyan dam suspected to be responsible for the flooding. According to him, a controlled release of water from the reservoir of the dam in small amounts over a period of time would prevent massive flooding of the affected areas.
“The flood in this area is not new. When we know we have a problem, we should look forward to the solution.”
He advocated for channelisation to be done in the flood plain communities. “We are appealing for the desilting of the Ogun River down to Ikorodu to increase the capacity and the construction of flood mitigation structures around the rivers,” another resident of the area who simply identified himself as Engineer Smith, said.
‘Dams are not to be blamed for flooding’
Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Professor Joseph Utsev, on Tuesday, described it as “a misconception” that the release of water from dams at Oyan River, as well as that of Ikere Gorge Dam in Oyo State were responsible for the perennial flooding experienced in Ogun and Lagos states.
Utsev, who spoke with journalists in Abeokuta during an on-the-spot assessment of facilities at Oyan Dam, said that the twin dams are mainly responsible for the control flooding and irrigation for agricultural purposes.
With particular mentioning of the Oyan Dam, Utsev explained that condition of the 270 million cubic Federal Government’s water reservoir is perfect and cannot cause the recent flooding in the states.
He, therefore, called on the governments of Ogun and Oyo states to put measures in place that would prevent residents from constructing buildings on waterways and dumping of refuse in canals.
The minister further stated that his ministry has commenced a partial commercialization of all the River Basin Dams across the country as parts of measures to enhance agriculture in the country, as well as boosting the economy in accordance with the President Bola Tinubu’s agenda for the nation’s self-sufficiency and food security.
‘The matter is beyond us’
The Ogun State governor while playing host to the minister of water resources noted that the scale and magnitude of the flooding was beyond what the state government can handle.
He said: “Yesterday, I was in Isheri North where we bordered Lagos. The whole of that area is flooded and that is one of our most valuable parcel of land with Estates for upper and medium income earners and we also have lots of industries there because of its proximity to Lagos State.
“We need the Federal Government, not just attention, but intervention, because the remedial action that is required to resolve this crisis is beyond what the state can handle and of course, we do not even have the expertise and beyond expertise, we do not have the financial capacity to solve the problem.
“This place is completely built up and we are not going to start demolishing houses. The level of investments in that area is so high. We must have a team from the state government, Ministries of Water Resources, Environment and of course Humanitarian Affairs to see what we can do collaboratively, to bring immediate term relief to our people. We should also work towards medium term and more sustainable long term solutions to the problem.”
The governor however, assured the minister that his state is ready to cooperate with his ministry on whatever measure it is planning that would make the Federal Government achieve its goal on eradicating open defecation in the state, “particularly when it is a matter that bothered on the health of the citizens.”
Towards a lasting solution
Minister of State for Environment, Dr Iziaq Kunle Salako, during his visit to the affected areas for an on-the-spot inspection and assessment on Wednesday alongside Professor Utsev, said the Federal Government would find a permanent solution to the problem by undertaking a comprehensive study of the area.
“The problem here is multifaceted. From findings and research, I can see that we have to attack the problem from many angles. The role of the two dams, the Oyan Dam, the Ogun River, the role of our habits and our practices as people and the effect of climate change.
“For us to be able to permanently solve this problem, we must undertake a comprehensive study, so that we can understand fully what needs to be done in a way that will proffer a solution.
“The perspective of the Federal Ministry of Environment is to immediately commission a comprehensive study of this place, so that we fully understand what we need to do with Ogun river, the dams. How do we ensure that we expand our drainages and lift our roads and our people to change their habits and be more environmentally responsible?
“The result of climate change experiencing globally is not something we can reverse. This kind of environmental challenge has been with us and we must be environmentally responsible, to ensure that we do not build on drainages. We clear our drainages and properly dispose of our waste.
However, the governor noted that it is high time a lasting solution was found to the perennial flooding to make the area more conducive for living.
According to him, the state government will see to the elevation of some roads in the area, as parts of the solutions to the problem.
“We will prioritise 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 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.”
The governor, while addressing residents of Isheri Riverview Estate, said he had requested for a survey of the entire estate to identify critical areas that needed immediate intervention.
He assured that the intervention would come through the construction of an elevated road with adequate drainages to mitigate the flood.
“We have also engaged the Minister of State for the Environment, who fortunately, is from Ogun State and I have already brought this to his attention.
“Before the end of the week, I will also table it before the Vice-President and the President as well so that we ensure that this problem gets all the desired attention and consequently gets the desired solution so we can bring this to an end,” he said.
The governor added that “We will also discuss the issue of the Ogun-Osun River Basin Authority and try and interrogate the activities there and understand how their activities affect this community and other communities with respect to the opening and closing of the dam.”
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 operations that provides 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.
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