Contrary to insinuation that the release of water from its dams at Oyan River, as well as that of Ikere Gorge Dam in Oyo State is responsible for the perennial flooding in Ogun and Lagos States, the federal government says the flooding is caused by environmental degradation.
The minister of water resources and sanitation, Prof. Joseph Utsev, who spoke with journalists yesterday in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital during an on-the-spot assessment of facilities at Oyan Dam, said the twin dams are mainly responsible for controlling flooding and irrigation for agricultural purposes.
With particular mention of the Oyan Dam, Utsev saidt the condition of the 270 million cubic federal government’s water reservoir was perfect and cannot cause the recent flooding in the states.
The minister who said the federal government was working on a document to control flooding across the country, called on governments of Ogun and Oyo states to evolve measures to prevent their residents from building and dumping refuses on waterways.
Utsev said his ministry had commenced a partial commercialization of all the River Basin Dams across the country as part of measures to enhance agriculture in the country as well as boosting the economy in accordance with the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s agenda for the nation’s self-sufficiency and food security.
In his remarks, Governor Dapo Abiodun solicited the intervention of the federal government towards bringing succour to the communities affected by flooding in Ogun, emphasising that his does lacked the professional expertise and the financial muscle to tackle flooding.
Abiodun also admonished the minister to prevail on the management of Ogun Osun River Basin Development Authority (OORBDA) towards ensuring that the authority manages its activities in a way that does not constitute danger to the lives of Ogun residents.
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