Osun Residents Jittery As Rivers Overflow, Govt Inaugurates Environmental Task Force

Following torrential rainfall that lasted several hours on Monday in some areas of Osun State, causing rivers to overflow their banks, jittery residents whose buildings are located close to riverbanks have expressed apprehension about the negative effects of the flooding on their homes and property.

LEADERSHIP checks in some affected areas yesterday showed that water levels had decreased, unlike on Monday night, when the residents feared possible submergence of their buildings.

A resident of Oke-Arugbo Estate who identified herself as Atinuke said the situation had become frightening, particularly for residents whose houses were close to the riverbank.

“We are seriously worried because the river is already full. If the rain continues, where will the water from our drainage go? We are only praying that the rain stops before the water gets into our houses,” she said.

Another resident, Fatima Adeniyi, said some households had begun moving valuables to safer portions of their homes as a precaution, adding that they could not afford to wait until floodwater completely entered their houses.

Speaking with LEADERSHIP, Mr Tunde Kelani, whose house is located on the Osun river bank, said, “We are worried because the river is filled up.

Where will the water from our drainage go? We are only praying that the water levels come down further before another rainfall”

Meanwhile, the Osun State government has set up a Special Task Force on Environmental Sanitation to strengthen enforcement of environmental laws and sustain a clean, healthy, and habitable environment throughout the state.

The Task Force is to be chaired by the state Head of Service, Mr Samuel Ayanleye Aina, and deputised by the Hon. Commissioner for Environment and Sanitation, Hon Mayowa Adejoorin.

The core mandate of the taskforce, according to the state commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Oluomo Kolapo Alimi, is to tackle environmental infractions throughout Osun state, particularly indiscriminate waste disposal in drains and on roadsides, as well as other places that could constitute environmental nuisances.

He flayed the indiscriminate manner in which people litter many places, including road medians, with dirt and debris of various kinds, an act he further noted could cause serious environmental hazards.

Among the communities affected by Monday’s devastating heavy downpour were some areas in Osogbo, the Osun State capital, and parts of Ijesaland.

It would be recalled that the federal government had earlier warned of the consequences of the imminent rise in water levels in the state.

However, at Oke-Arugbo Estate, around the governor’s office, and in other communities close to the Osun River in Osogbo, residents watched anxiously as the river’s water level rose considerably, raising fears that surrounding homes could be affected if the water level continues to rise.

The flooding also exposed the vulnerability of some road infrastructure in other parts of the state, with the Ilesa-Ijaregbe link bridge in the Obokun Local Government Area suffering major damage due to the heavy rainfall.