Relocate To Safer Locations, Ogun Tells Residents Along River Bank, Flood Prone Areas
Ogun state government has directed the residents living near the river Bank and flood prone areas to relocate to safer places across the state.
According to it, those affected include the residents of communities adjoining Ogun, Ilo, Iju,, Owa, Yemule, Rivers such as Isheri, Warewa, Akute, parts of Abeokuta, Ayetoro, Itele, Iju and those of the coastline of Makun, Oni, Iwopin, Igele, Ifaara (Ogun Waterside), Ebute-Imobi (Ijebu East), Tungeji Island and Agosasa in Ipokia local government.
o relocate to safer environment between the last week of this month and the second week of October because of the expected impact of overflow from these Rivers and sea water rise/tidal lock in their communities due to expected high rainfall and arrival of flow from the northern part of the country and neighbouring country like Benin to Ogun and Lagos State on the downstream. That of the Ogun River may be compounded by the release of water from Oyan Dam.
Commissioner for Environment, Dr. Ola Oresanya, who issued the directive in the 2025 Ogun State Midterm Flood Alert, asked the residents in the State to brace up for the second phase of flooding.
Oresanya explained that the overflow, which will last for two weeks, usually happens as part of the second phase of flooding between September and November of every year.
The Commissioner added that the Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NIMET) has predicted that September will have the highest rainfall of 204mm, followed by October at 190mm while by November the intensity of the rainfall wound have gone down to 93mm.
He therefore assured the residents of these communities that the State government through its State Emergency Management Agency SEMA is on red alert incase of any emergency evacuation and relocation to temporary emergency camps spread across the State while the State Ministry of Environment is also working closely with the Ogun - Osun River Basin Development Authority on the release of water from Oyan Dam to reduce its impact to the barest minimum.
Oresanya also urged residents in these communities to avoid the usage of their boreholes and well waters at this period as they are subject to contamination due to the expected flooding and tidal variations.
He equally used the opportunity to call on fish farmers farming on flood plains of rivers and streams statewide to harvest their fishes to avert them being washed away by flood while fish farmers at Eriwe, Yemule, both in Ijebu ode, Ilase and Ayegbami in Yewa are equally advised to heed the advice without further delay.
While thanking residents of the state for their understanding on all environmental issues especially on its yearly flood alert, he lauded them for their cooperation with the State government in the last six years which has reduced flooding and its impact greatly statewide and pledged the state government commitment to continually do the needful to make the state flood free.
