Oyo Assembly bemoans death of five residents, collapsed bridges

Worried by incidences of flooding across the state, the Oyo House of Assembly has called on the executive arm of government and the Ibadan Urban Flood Management Project (IUFMP), to carry out statewide dredging of streams and rivers.

The Assembly’s call at Thursday’s plenary stemmed from reports by some lawmakers of people washed away by flooded rivers, collapsed bridges, flooded farmlands and dilapidated infrastructure.

Raising it as a matter of urgent public importance, deputy Speaker of the Assembly, Honourable Abiodun Fadeyi reported that five persons were washed away by the Onigbese river at Gbaremu, following last Monday’s downpour.

Similarly, he mentioned the collapse of bridges at Ijikeye in Ajia and across Ido local government area.

He further acknowledged the receipt of a petition by the landlord association of Amuroro/Onilu area of the state of flooded homes, resulting from intermittent rainfall in the state.

Contributing to the discourse, Honourable Wumi Oladeji of Ogbomoso North decried that the lives of many in the state continued to be at risk owing to several flooded areas in Ogbomoso and other parts of the state.

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She particularly called on the IUFMP and the state Ministry of Environment and Water Resources to get busy and put in place in palliative measures to curb the risks associated with blocked waterways and flooding.

Pending when the executive arm implements palliative measures, minority leader Honourable Asimiyu Alarape, particularly urged residents in flood-prone areas to temporarily relocate whenever it rained.

Noting the rampant nature of flooding in several constituencies across the state, Honourable Adebayo Babajide of Ibadan North II asked that the IUFMP be put to task.

In his closing comments, Speaker of the Assembly, Honourable Adebo Ogundoyin said the state must begin to put in place solid plans to curb flooding in the next rainy season.

In the meantime, he charged the state Commissioner for Ministry of Works and his Environment counterpart to identify flood-prone areas and embark on palliative works to forestall further disaster.