Imoleayo Oyedeji
The Ogun State Government has warned residents in flood-prone areas and communities across the state against rejecting evacuation advisories and attempting to blackmail the state.
Some of the communities affected by the recent release of water from the Oyan Dam include Isheri, Riverview Estate, Oshorun Estate, OPIC Estate, Arepo, Mawere, Akute, Alagbole, Orimerunmu, and Magboro, among others.
On Wednesday, the government urged the residents to relocate immediately, reiterating the advisory had been given four months ago.
The state Commissioner for Environment, Ola Oresanya, explained that the flooding situation in the affected areas was due to their lowland nature and increased tidal fluctuations from river flooding, which forced the Ogun-Osun River Basin Development Authority to release excess water from the Oyan Dam.
Some residents, however, rejected the evacuation order, vowing to remain in the flooded areas until the government provides lasting solutions to the problem.
Speaking with Saturday PUNCH, Oresanya said the state government had initiated measures for voluntary relocation but would not hesitate to evacuate any vulnerable residents who refused to leave the floodplains willingly.
He said, “We are aware that some vulnerable people will want to use the situation to blackmail the government by staying in the water so people can say they were abandoned. But we will make sure we evacuate them.”
Copyright PUNCH
All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from PUNCH.
Contact: health_wise@punchng.com
The post Oyan Dam: Ogun insists on ejecting residents in floodplains appeared first on Healthwise.