Flood: Osun calls on FG help

The Osun State Government has cried out to the Federal Government to reconstruct the waterways in the State so as to forestall the repeated flooding the State is presently experiencing.

Oluremi Omowaiye, the Osun State Commissioner for Works, made the call on Monday during an inspection visit to Rasco Area of Osogbo to ascertain the level of damage as a result of Saturday’s downpour.

Worst affected areas by the flooding include: Rasco and Sadiat Areas in Osogbo and Biladu Area, Irawo Junction, Oba Adenle Hospital Junction and Funtua Area of Ilesa.

Omowaiye explained that it was common knowledge that the volume of rainfall experienced in the State had been massive, adding that after a thorough inspection of some of the affected sites, the state was appealing to the Federal Government to swing into action.

In his words, “The volume of the rainfall has been massive. We have looked at the affected site and we know the solution. We are going to construct a new culvert but it requires a holistic approach which we are going to seriously work on.

“This current culvert at Rasco Area was done through the Ecological Fund and the state cannot afford to bankroll the cost of the project”.

“We now call on the Federal Government through the Ecological Fund, to come to our aid immediately.”

While noting the emergency nature of the problem, the Commissioner added that since the Federal Government had supported Osun in the past to do a lot of projects through the Ecological Fund, the State was calling on them again to come to their aid.

“They are also aware that the volume of rainfall this year has been massive. Through NiMET, we have received a lot of warnings and since this is what we have envisaged earlier, we now know the solution”.

“We have looked at it and we know what to do but we are saying it is beyond the capacity of the State”.

“Osun state is in dire need of the Federal Government’s support to tackle this problem.”

He noted that the problem at Rasco and Sadiat Areas have been accessed and it had been determined that two relief culverts will be constructed to convey the runoff from Freedom Park and Oke-Fia Roundabout.

Omowaiye also revealed that the Federal Government was aware of the situation at Sadiat Area and a relief culvert construction contract had been awarded by the Federal Ministry of Works.

He, however, stated that the State government will carry out palliative work pending the time the Federal Government will swing into action.

According to him, “We can only do what is within our means to do and these are palliatives, that is to clear the waterway but the work is beyond carrying out palliatives.

“Some of the buildings on the waterway will have to go since they constitute a hazard and are no longer safe for dwelling.”

Engineer Oluremi Omowaiye, a COREN Registered Engineer and ICT specialist, is a man with a rare courage and this has helped him to move various organizations, personalities and governments from the state of relegation to the limelight.