The Permanent Secretary of Osun Ministry of Environment and Sanitation, Mr. Richard Oyegbami, says the state government is proactive in averting flood disasters in the state.
Oyegbami stated this during an interview with the Newsmen on Thursday in Osogbo.
He said the state government had always been proactive in terms of flood prevention and control.
According to Oyegbami, the state government has overtime embarked on dry and rainy season dredging of canals and waterways as a precautionary step to preventing flood disasters.
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“In 2024, many states in Nigeria were negatively affected by flooding.
“However, due to the state government’s commitment to prevention of flooding, no single case was recorded in Osun.
“We have a dedicated department allocated to flood matters in our ministry, called the Department of Flood Control.
“We don’t wait until the rainy season to put precautionary measures in place to prevent flooding,” he said.
Oyegbami also said that the government had cleared all drainage across the local government areas in the state to ensure the free flow of water.
“Due to various interventions by the state government in flood prevention, communities in the state sent letters of commendation and appreciation to the state government.
“Directors and engineers from the flood control department are always on the field, dredging waterways.
“The ministry also runs jingles on the radio to sensitise residents on flood disasters.
“Every Thursday on the radio program, residents are educated on the dangers of dumping waste along and in water channels, which can lead to flooding,” he said.
The permanent secretary also said that the government had set up environmental enforcement officers to arrest those who habitually dump waste indiscriminately.
Oyegbami advised residents to patronise private waste collectors during waste disposal, and warned that anyone caught disposing of waste indiscriminately would be apprehended and face the law.