From Laide Raheem, Abeokuta

The Ogun State government has warned residents of Ijebu Ode to desist from building houses on the flood plains and wetlands to curb the perennial flooding ravaging some parts of the town.

The government indicated that it would work to resolve the erosion problems in the town with the view to controlling flooding in Ijebu Ode and its environs.

The Special Adviser to the Ogun State Governor on Environment, Ola Oresanya, and his Ministry of Works and Infrastructure counterpart, Akeem Adesina, gave the warning on Monday, when they jointly led the state government delegation to Olorunsogo Community, Ijebu Ode, to assess the flood situation which ravaged the community at the weekend.

Addressing the residents of the affected community, Oresanya expressed the state government’s commitment to resolving the erosion problems in Ijebu Ode, which according to him had contributed to the flooding of some parts of the town.

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He said investigations had, however, revealed that the recent flash-flood experienced in the area is a perennial occurrence and cannot be attributed to the ongoing road construction works in the community.

Oresanya blamed the residents for not adhering to the town planning laws and building houses on wetland and flood plains, the situation he noted had necessitated the erosion.

He urged residents to begin to live with the risk, and immediately commence construction of drainage channels in front of their houses while awaiting government plans to solve the problem permanently.

In his response, the Chairman of the Community Development Association in the area, Abiodun Hassan thanked the state government for the quick response.

He also expressed the readiness of residents of the community to abide by all the actions by the state government to resolve the erosion menace in the community.