November 1, 2017
By Mayowa Adeleye
A report released by Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) in January 2017 identified Osun State along with several other states in the country as having potential for flash floods.
Upon receipt of those NIMET reports, the Ogbeni Aregbesola led Osun State government swung into action and began taking proactive steps towards preventing flood in the state.
The state government began the clearing of the water canals and dredging the waters ways in a bid to prevent flooding.
The state ministry of environment also up-took an aggressive public sensitization on the dangers of dumping refuse along water channels. While the state ministry of works also began opening up new water channels across the state. The state government were optimistic that Osun would not experience flooding with the proactive steps taken.
As Osun State approaches the beginning of the dry season, it appears that the state government proactivity has paid off hugely as Osun did not record any case of flood in 2017 raining season.
Recall that according to a report by the NIMET, Osun state was identified as one of the flood-prone areas and the residents believe that the government should have been proactive to avert the sad flooding occurrence of 2016.
Across Osogbo in 2016, many residents counted their losses to flooding with many properties destroyed and the same 2016 flooding left one person dead.
Some residents in areas like Testing Ground, Rasco, Oke-Onitea, Fiwasaye, Gbomi and Iludun in Osogbo counted their losses as the 2016 rain came down heavily for many hours, that caused flood in many parts of the city.