By Seyi Babalola
The Oyo State Government has dredged eight additional flood-prone rivers and streams across all geopolitical zones in the state.
This, according to the government, is to ensure flood risk reduction and put measures in place against flood incidences.
The Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, Architect Abdulmojeed Mogbonjubola, led a team of government officials on assessment visits to the dredged rivers.
The Commissioner, represented by the Director, Environmental Engineering, Engr. Oladipo Mukaila, noted that the visitation was crucial, so as to ascertain the level of work and provisional attainments on the projects.
He affirmed the preparedness of the Oyo State government to prevent any occurrence of the fluvial flooding (Urban Flooding) this year.
Recall that the Nigeria Hydrological Service Agency (NIHSA) and Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET), in the Annual Flow Outlook (AFO), predicted that some states across the federation (Oyo state inclusive) would experience fluvial flooding this year.
This has been happening in some states as predicted by both agencies.
The Commissioner highlighted that the newly dredged rivers and streams by include: Araromi river; ‘Boroboro river; Isunwin stream in Oyo town; ‘Ora/Laka’ river in Ogbomoso; ‘Jalugbe’ Stream, Ilero; Telebu-Ayin-Opaleki River in Igboora, Ibarapa zone.
Others include: Ogba stream, Iseyin; Koba Stream, Ogboro road, Saki and Fedomu river Igbeti in Oke-ogun area of Oyo State.
The team, which includes officers from the Ministry of Environment, office of the Auditor-General of the State and Bureau of Public Procurement, was satisfied with the volume of work done to prevent flooding, which could have claimed lives and properties.
