Laide Raheem, Abeokuta
Following the flood witnessed in the Panseke-Adigbe Road in Abeokuta at the weekend, the Ogun State government has urged residents of the area to shun activities that impede the flow of water.
It equally disclosed that plans have been concluded to construct durable drainage by extending the ongoing construction work on the Panseke-Adigbe Road to reach the popular Opako Bridge along Obada road.
The State Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Ade Akinsanya, stated these in a statement he signed on Monday, in Abeokuta, the Ogun state capital.
He explained that the drainage, when put in place, would put a permanent stop to the perennial destruction of the retaining walls on the busy bridge, due to the lack of proper drainage.
The statement noted that but for the quality of work done on the road by the Dapo Abiodun-led administration, the ravaging flood would have sacked all the houses within the vicinity, adding that the bridge constructed by the state government stalled the impact of the flood.
Akinsanya maintained that extending drainage to the bridge would enhance proper flow and channeling of water, especially during the rains which have currently destroyed the approach to the bridge, even as the bridge itself has remained intact.
“As at Saturday afternoon, engineers were at the bridge with excavators to put washed-off materials back in place so that the road may become motorable, pending the time when drainage work reaches the site.
“Flood is a natural phenomenon due to rapid urbanization impeding waterways, we hereby appeal to road users and residents to cooperate with the engineers on site while they carry out their duties in reasonable time”, he said.
According to the Commissioner, the flow of water was so high but the bridge remained unscathed, and the part of the bridge washed away was as a result of the drainages built near the area, which people had filled with plastic and other wastes.
“Channels of water had been blocked by houses, thus raising the level of the flood. Waterways were blocked but water will always find its level and, definitely, there is no asphalt that water cannot wash away if its volume is heavy.
“People should therefore dispose their wastes carefully and not invite flood. Those who took advantage of the long bamboos by the canal and filled it with the bamboos should be careful”. Akinsanya submitted.