Tunde Oyekola
Following persistent rainfall in the state, the Kwara State Government has urged residents living around the riverbanks to relocate to higher ground.
The advice was contained in a statement issued on Sunday by the state Commissioner for Environment, Nafisat Buge, to guard against impending flooding in the state.
Kwara State has been experiencing persistent rainfall between Wednesday and Sunday, leading to reports of flooding affecting people around the Asa River in Unity Road, Taiwo Isale, and Isale Koko in the Ilorin South and Ilorin East areas of the state, respectively.
According to Buge, “The government has called for calm among residents of the state regarding the trends currently being experienced in the volume, duration, and pattern of rainfall, which has led to massive flooding in some parts of the state, adding that it is a temporary situation that will pass with time.”
The Commissioner described the situation as a global phenomenon, which can be attributed to the effects of climate change on our environment as a result of both natural phenomena and human activities.
“It will be observed that our rainy and dry seasons no longer fall in the normal transition months, as human influence has warmed the atmosphere, oceans, and land, consequent upon which weather extremes are being witnessed across the globe, including our immediate communities and other states within the country,” the statement read.
According to the press statement signed by the Press Secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Kamaldeen Aliagan, the present administration under the leadership of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq is deeply concerned about the impending flood situation and is taking proactive measures to ensure public safety.
She said that to curb the situation, the government had embarked on the continuous dredging of the Asa River, construction of embankments, desilting of drainages across the state, provision of additional waste bins, expansion of the dump site for proper waste disposal, encouragement of waste recycling, an irrigation system for farmers, and regular advocacy and sensitisation on environmental issues via the media and interfaces with relevant stakeholders, as well as enforcement whenever necessary.
Buge, while empathising with affected families, said, “Our hearts go out to families that are worst hit by this natural phenomenon, who have either lost property or their loved ones.
“However, in order to avert loss of lives and property, we urge residents to quickly take the following safety steps: relocate to higher ground, avoid travelling when it is raining, and follow evacuation instructions by the Ministry of Environment and the State Emergency Management Agencies, which will be moving around to provide support to the affected communities.
“Furthermore, we urge residents to obtain the necessary approvals from relevant government agencies before embarking on any type of building, to desist from building houses close to or on the waterways.
“Heed flood warnings by stopping the dumping of refuse along watercourses, desilting surrounding drainages, stopping open burning, planting trees, and promptly alerting the Ministry of Environment about issues in your vicinity, as the government is doing all that is possible within state resources to encourage sustainable living and provide relief for Kwarans.
“We want to use this medium to implore individuals, NGOs, and CSOs to kindly support the government in climate change adaptation and advocacy, as this is crucial for us to build resilience and save our environment,” Buge said.
The state commissioner also stated the need for all citizens to take ownership of their surroundings and encourage others to do the same, as the environment gives back to us what we put into it.
“Members of the public are reminded that as our activities destroy the environment, our society keeps degrading, and this in turn comes back to haunt us all. It is therefore our collective responsibility to improve the quality of our environment to make it a better place for all and sundry,” the commissioner counselled.
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