Floods: FG To Provide Immediate Assistance To Those Affected – VP Osinbajo

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, has expressed the condolences of the Federal Government to the people and government of Ogun State on Wednesday, while stating that Government will improve on the drainage infrastructure in the affected areas.

Prof. Osinbajo stated this on Wednesday when he visited Abeokuta following the flooding in some areas in the capital city over the weekend, where at least 11 lives were lost and several houses were destroyed.

The Vice President, who was received by the Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun, further said that Government will provide immediate assistance to those affected.

He said, “What has happened here is very unfortunate indeed, because you will see that a lot of work has gone on, a lot of drainage has been done, but the rains appear to have been so heavy and simply overcame the infrastructure that was already in existence. What we are looking at is how the drainage and canalisation can be enhanced. We are in discussions with His Excellency, the Governor, to see in specific ways how the Federal Government can be of assistance. We have to sit down and really look at those issues carefully.

“Of course, we are providing immediate relief materials to support the State Government, the Director General of NEMA is here, providing that immediate succour and assistance. On a more permanent basis, we would be working very closely with the government to see how we can assist in improving the drainage and sewage infrastructure. That’s a more substantive issue and we have to look at it carefully.

Prof. Osinbajo, however, called for more citizen awareness so as to avoid future occurrences.

He said, “It is difficult to avoid flash flooding anywhere. We are fortunate that it didn’t happen late at night, because if it did, and there was a sudden surge of water, it would naturally cause the kind of disaster we have seen. This would happen anywhere.

“One of the things I’d want to say is that we have to change our habits in terms of blocking drainages. By and large here, if you look at the channels, they are huge. They have done quite a lot in terms of canalisation and drainage. But still, where you have a large amount of rain falling within a short period of time, you are likely to have flash flooding”

“What we need to do, especially where the rains are heavy, is to warn people to move quickly to higher grounds, especially those in the valleys. There is nothing you can do about a valley, a valley is a valley, and water would invariably collect there if it’s very heavy rain.

“On the whole, the loss of lives is very unfortunate, and we commiserate as the Federal Government. But I also want to say that God had been truly gracious to us. It could have been much worse, but for the large infrastructure here, canalisation and drainage, which helped to move the water quickly, the water has practically receded despite the surge.”

The Vice President, who was taken round the affected areas, including Kuto, and Isale-Igbein, commended the State government for its prompt response to the incident.

“I think that we should be thankful to God and commend the State Government for first of all, providing the right type of infrastructure, and for very quick response to the needs of those who suffered loss and damage,” he said.