The head of Ogun State House of Assembly Committee on Public Accounts and Anti-Corruption, Damilare Bello, has encouraged the leadership of the State Environmental Protection Agency to start robust campaigns to prevent flooding and the resulting loss of lives and properties in the state.
Bello mentioned the necessity for the agency to initiate the clearing of drainages to improve water flow.
The legislator, in a statement on Wednesday, delivered the request while hosting the agency's management led by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Mr. Sam Oyeleye.
The agency's visit was part of the review of the audit report on Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies for the 2021 and 2022 financial years.
Bello stated, “Your agency needs to launch vigorous awareness campaigns to prevent flooding across the state. Our citizens need to be properly educated on actions to avoid behaviors that could contribute to flooding.
‘It would also be beneficial to assist in unblocking drainages and clearing water paths to ensure unrestricted water flow during rain. We must take the government's flood alerts seriously to safeguard lives and properties.”
In response, Oyeleye revealed that the Ministry of Environment was already collaborating with the Ministry of Physical Planning to ensure that all developers obtain drainage permits to prevent erosion and flooding.
He emphasized the importance of having a proper drainage system before beginning any construction to facilitate water flow.
The Environment Commissioner, Mr. Ola Oresanya had, in a briefing last week, indicated that 16 out of the 20 Local Government Areas in the state are expected to experience the highest rainfall and might be susceptible to flooding.
The state government had cautioned residents in flood-prone areas to relocate to avoid being caught off guard as the rainy season begins.
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