water – 9japroperty

300 houses flooded as agency releases Oyan Dam water

9japroperty — Thu, 06 Oct 2016 11:48:13 +0000

No fewer than 300 houses have been flooded and 860 households displaced following the opening of Oyan Dam water, one of the tributaries of the Ogun River.

The affected areas include Agiliti/Maidan, Orile, Owode, Agboyi and Araromi communities in Ketu and Mile 12 areas in Lagos; and Akute and Warewa communities, as well as estates in and around OPIC in Ogun State.

Parts of the Lagos State’s Isheri North Government Reserved Area and the Lagos State Development And Property Corporation Estate, were also affected.

Some of the residents, who spoke with PUNCH Metro, said they noticed some floodwater around their streets about two weeks ago but that by last week, the volume had increased, adding that their houses had been overrun by water.

The Chairman of Riverview Estate Residents’ Association, Mr. Abayomi Akinde, who described the incident as tragic, said there was no notice from the Ogun/Osun River Basin Development Authority (OORBDA) that water would be released from the Oyan Dam.

According to Akinde, the flood came despite assurances from OORBDA that the upsurge of flood which they never anticipated from the upstream, would not cause any kind of catastrophe.

He said, “The flooding started about three weeks ago when people started calling that their communities were flooded. People have been evacuating their homes since then, while some others are trapped. If the situation persists, everywhere will be submerged. The government needs to come in. Isheri North GRA, for instance, was sold by Lagos State and some of the estates were sold by the Ogun State Government. There was supposed to be proper planning; but we have been left to our fate. Former President Goodluck Jonathan visited this area four years ago because of this same problem, but nothing was done after the visit.

“We are appealing to OORBDA to reduce the operating level of the dam to 54 metres. If the level is reduced, the reservoir will have more space to hold water and this flooding will be averted.”

A landlord and former chairman of the Nigerian Institution of Environmental Engineers, Mr. Peter Onyeri, said the problem was lack of proper funding and management of the dam.

When PUNCH Metro visited some of the affected areas, the streets had been taken over and residents were seen vacating their homes, while some others, who remained had to reach their houses using canoes.

One of the canoe paddlers, who gave his name as Monday Bassey, said the cost of moving passengers across the water was between N100 and N500, depending on the distance.

Bassey said he had lived in the area for eight years and had seen the area flooded yearly, but that the residents had enjoyed a four-year break from 2012 before the current incident.

The Managing Director of Ogun/Osun River Basin Development Authority, Mr. Akintunde Soyemi, said the flooding was aggravated by human activities.

According to him, it was caused by the opening of one of Ogun River’s tributaries, Oyan Dam, which was built for fishing, hydro power, irrigation and flood control.

He said, “Ogun River is a big river cutting across three states with more than 20 tributaries one of which is Oyan Dam, which is the only one that is gated and whose release can be controlled.

“This year, we had much more run off; we only released 15 per cent now, which is done at a controlled rate and is not supposed to flood the downstream. It is flooding because it is not the only contributory river. Most of those flooded places are in the flood plain of Ogun River. The rule of thumb in constructing residences is that you must be above the level of the road, anywhere below such level will always be submerged.”

Soyemi, however, said the authority was working on controlling the flooding and that residents would see an improvement in the coming days.

The spokesperson for the National Emergency Management Agency, South West zone, Ibrahim Farinloye, said more than 300 houses were submerged by the flood.

He, however, said no life was lost.

“Our assessment of the extent of damages done by the release of excess water from Oyan River Dam in Ogun shows that Kara and Warewa communities in Ifo LGA of Ogun State were among the affected areas. About 300 houses were submerged and about 860 households affected. Most of them have left the affected areas,” he said.

PUNCH.

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Ahmed earmarks N1bn for water supply

9japroperty — Mon, 11 Apr 2016 09:50:13 +0000

The Kwara State Commissioner of Water Resources, Mr. Abdulrazaq Akorede, has said that the state government will spend N1bn out of the proposed N20bn bond on the Ilorin water reticulation project.

He stated that Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed had declared a state of emergency on water supply in the state, adding that presently, more than 25 communities were benefiting from water supply from tankers on daily basis.

Akorede spoke to journalists in Ilorin on Friday after a tour of some water projects.

There has been acute water shortage, especially in the Ilorin metropolis for some time.

The commissioner also said the government would enact a law that would regulate borehole drilling in the state.

Akorede urged indigenous drillers to maintain high standards and professionalism, adding that they must take cognizance of avoidable hazards in borehole drilling.

He stated that the essence of the expected law was to reduce hazards and streamline borehole drilling in the state.

The commissioner urged members of the association to collaborate with the government in efforts to provide portable water, increase government’s revenue and boost the standard of living and quality of life in the state.

Akorede said the government was committed to water provision in the state, adding that vandalism of the western reservoir stalled the commitment of the state government to making water more available in the Ilorin metropolis.

He noted that Ahmed had ordered the replacement of all the vandalised properties, adding that there would be enough water for the people after work had been completed on the properties.

According to him, the Ilorin reticulation water project is still ongoing.

He added,“The reticulation is still ongoing; we have a few more kilometres to cover; by the time they finish that, we have another booster station, the Western Reservoir.

“By the time the two booster stations are inaugurated, of course, the four tanks at Oke-Oyi, Adewole, Ogidi and the one at Tanke, once they get enough water, we will be able to distribute to the people,” Akorede said.

PUNCH.

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Ogun provides 23 communities with water schemes

9japroperty — Mon, 21 Sep 2015 12:21:45 +0000

The Ogun State Government, through the Ministry of Rural Development, has provided water schemes for 23 communities to ensure uninterrupted flow of potable water.

The Director of Rural Electrification in the ministry, Mr. AbdulRasaq Ojetola, said in a statement that the schemes comprised 7.5KVA power generator, tanks, pipes and fetching platforms, among others.

“Government has deemed it fit to provide potable water and adequate sanitation in an affordable way as well as the required infrastructure to facilitate and enhance socio-economic development across the local government areas,” he said.

Ojetola said the ministry, through its Department of Rural Water Supply, had also constructed solar powered borehole water schemes in Ikereku Olodi, Abeokuta North; Yewa Disu, Yewa North; Sigi Baido, Ewekoro; Lisa, Odeda; Ehin Osun, Ijebu North East; Jabata, Imeko Afon; Osunbudepo, Ijebu North; Fakale, Sagamu; Areago, Obafemi Owode; and Oguru, Ijebu East.

He said the ministry had also organised a programme tagged: ‘Ile kan, igbonse kan, ko je lilo’, ‘One house, one toilet for use’ to improve sanitation in the rural communities.

“Hence, there will be significant investment that will confirm the state government’s presence to the rural dwellers through the provision of potable water, rural electrification projects and construction of roads,” he added.

PUNCH.

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Kogi to spend N1.8bn on water distribution

9japroperty — Wed, 29 Apr 2015 15:05:09 +0000

The Deputy Governor of Kogi State, Mr. Yomi Awoniyi, has said that the state government will spend additional N1.8bn obtained from the recently raised bond for water distribution in Lokoja, the state capital.

He stated that the government had already spent N387m on the embankment of the Greater Water Works project in the state.

Awoniyi spoke through his media aide, Mr. Mike Abu, during a media briefing in Lokoja on Friday on the government’s efforts to provide potable water to the residents.

The deputy governor said the government was working on 35 other water projects across the state.

He added that the water projects would no doubt help cushion the effects of climate related disasters in the state.

According to him, the ongoing embankment of the flood plain in Kabawa area of Lokoja, when completed, will not only help check incessant flooding of the area, but will also protect the area from filth as well as improve its sanitary condition.

Awoniyi said the Governor Idris Wada administration’s efforts to improve the provision of potable water to the residents of the state would reduce water borne diseases.

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water – 9japroperty

300 houses flooded as agency releases Oyan Dam water

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