Anthony Zosi, an environmentalist, has urged the Osun State Government to act quickly to reduce the probability that heavy rains may cause floods and put thousands of residents through suffering.
The South West geopolitical zone had received considerable rainfall, according to the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMET).
Residents and stakeholders urged the State government to declare an environmental state of emergency in 2018 after flooding affected the majority of the city of Osogbo, the state capital.
Additionally, the majority of the state capitals of Osogbo and Ilesa experienced flooding in August and October of 2021, which caused the state administration to begin an emergency draining of rivers and canals throughout the State, particularly in the impacted areas.
In a conversation with DAILY POST on Sunday, Zosi said that in order to prevent any potential flood situations in the State, it was necessary to raise the alert and hasten first responder response given the amount of rainfall that most of the South-West, including Osun, has been experiencing. He urged the administration to urgently drain any rivers and streams that might be impacted.
He claimed that the State government had been more focused on the election than what the people needed, which is why it had taken over a year for machinery to be put in place to prevent a potential flooding calamity.
According to him, “It is known that the level of precipitation is always higher than usual during July, August, September, and October, and given that Osun is in the rainforest zone, the rainfall expectancy should be significant.
“Over the past three years, there have been consistent indications that the annual rainfall is rising, but the painful thing is that our government won’t take anything until it actually does.
In 2019, Osogbo came dangerously close to flooding. It happened again in Osogbo and Ilesa in 2021. People suffered, and households were evacuated. What has the government done since that dreadful morning in August when the water completely submerged Osogbo’s low-lying areas? Nothing! They paid attention to the election.
“Right now, we’re getting more rain. Why did they do that? Nothing. They must be waiting for another flood to drive us from our houses.
“The State should start draining the rivers and streams. I watched dredgers on Friday, and it was admirable. Before it is too late, they should do it on time.
