Flood sacks Osun community

• Adeleke promises to support victims

From Lateef Dada, Osogbo

Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has promised government support to victims of the flood in Ikire, Irewole Local Government of the state.

The Saturday morning downpour rendered some residents in naira and kobo, Mateba, Fulani, evening market, and the state university campus area homeless, while farmland and other properties were destroyed.

Governor Adeleke, in a statement by his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, sympathized with the victims and promised to address the root cause of the flood and also fast-track the ongoing state flood prevention plan.

He said his administration had activated emergency measures to rescue the people impacted by the flooding, assuring victims that the government would do all in its capacity to support them.

“It is touching to learn about the monumental damages that flood has wrecked on homes and livelihood in Ikire. The scale of the losses suffered by our people as a result of the flood disaster is too heavy especially at a time of economic strain as now.

“I want to, on behalf of the State Government, convey heartfelt sympathy to everyone affected in one way or the other. As a government, we stand with the people of Ikire in this difficult moment and assure them of our commitment to support them overcome the challenges posed by the incident.

“Before this incident, our government had taken flood prevention steps, which included expanding waterways and opening up water channels to ensure free-flow of water to avoid flooding. We will intensify efforts in this regard and ensure that we guide against the kind of experience seen in Ikire.

“I have already directed the Commissioner of Environment to address the root cause of the flooding to forestall future occurrence.

The people of Osun can rest assured that we are doing everything possible to tackle flooding in the state,” Adeleke added.

He, however, urged the people of Ikire and Osun people as a whole not to panic, promising that his government would mobilise every resource to confront the challenge and keep them and their properties safe.

Governor Adeleke also warned the people to stop the practice of dumping refuse on waterways among other factors that could cause flooding.