Nation
Flood crisis: Displaced residents of Lagos-Ogun boundary communities beg for help
By Tumininu Ojelabi Hassan
Residents of Isheri-North Community along the Lagos-Ibadan expressway in Ogun state have pleaded for a lasting solution to the perennial flood crisis affecting the community.
Our correspondent who visited the community on Tuesday gathered that Isheri Riverview estate, Riverside estate, Queen’s Garden Estate and other residential areas in Warewa and OPIC were mostly affected.
The residents of this community who spoke with our correspondent said they had become homeless, lost properties and shut down their businesses as a result of the flood caused by the excessive release of water from the Oyan Dam.
Biodun Abioye, a resident of Isheri Riverview, who also runs a salon along Channels OPIC road, one of the affected areas said she’s currently squatting with a friend and patronage has significantly reduced due to the flood incident.
“I left my house because of the flood and I am squatting with a friend now. It is also affecting my business, you can see that everywhere is flooded. It’s even worse at other areas. Customers aren’t coming out, most of them have left their homes to the hotel, while some are squatting with their friends. I have been experiencing power outage since this flood issue started, I run generator in my salon everyday now, despite this customers aren’t coming out. Government should please come to our aid. We are tired,” she shared.
A male resident of Queen’s garden estate who prefers to be anonymous said he had temporarily moved in to a friend’s place, adding that his paint factory at the same location was temporarily closed until the flood situation subsides.
“I live at Queen’s Garden estate and I have a paint factory around there too. I moved to Queen’s garden estate because of my business. I have left my house for close to one week now and I have been squatting with my friends. Staying in a hotel isn’t an option because it’s costly. To get an apartment now will cost about N500,000. Most of my properties are still at home, I could only take a few clothes. There’s no way you can gain entrance into my estate except you take a canoe. I can’t run my business, I can’t stay at home. This is a very serious situation,” he said.
Adewunmi Omobolanle, whose restaurant business has been threatened by the flood shares her plight in a conversation with our correspondent.
“Sales has been really poor. People can’t come out to buy food. Some of our neighbours around here can’t stay at home. A lot of people have relocated to serviced apartments. Just imagine these unexpected expenses. A lot of people have relocated, some are currently staying in the hotel. It’s quite unfortunate, most especially for business owners. For instance, the electricity in my restaurant was connected through the ground, the technician did the connection without putting the wire in a pipe. The wire is exposed to water which is very risky and this led to a disconnection of electricity to my restaurant. I have not had power supply because of the flood. The technician said there is no solution until the flood recedes and the floor is entirely dry. If you check my chiller, it is empty. I had to convey everything including my frozen foods and vegetables to the freezer at home. I live at Tewa gas, the flood didn’t affect us, however it’s affecting areas after Tewa gas like Kara. I have not been able to pay for my daily thrift. This situation is not favorable at all,” she stated.
An employee of Teewell Stores, Jeje Fehintoluwa Olamide, a supermarket along Channels OPIC road lamented over the record of poor sales as customers are relocating due to the flood.
“The whole situation has been affecting us in the sense that most of our customers have relocated to somewhere else just to find shelter for some days and some weeks. When the water reduces or when it is gone finally, they can come back. It is reducing our sales. We are having little poor sales, I don’t want to use the word poor sales. We just hope that the situation gets better so we can get our customers back and make more sales. December is around the corner. We are hoping for the best, at least if it gets to subdue within this month and middle of next month, people can return to their abode for Christmas,” she said.
In an interview with our correspondent, the Chairperson, Oshorun Heritage Estate Community Development Association (CDA) and an Executive member of Isheri Estates Community (ISECOM), Dayo Ayandokun gave an insight on the flood situation. He revealed that the association was in a town hall meeting with the Ogun state government, Federal Minister of Water Resources, Minister of State for Environment at OPIC house, Isheri towards curbing the issue of the perennial flood affecting the community.
“We are currently in a town hall meeting with the Ogun state government, Federal Minister of Water Resources, Minister of State for Environment at OPIC house, Isheri over the flood situation. It is a perennial issue which has been occurring from way back. It usually happens around this period from September to November. It is better seen than explained. Many houses in the community are flooded, many people have relocated temporarily, some people are stuck in their homes and there have been a couple of fatalities,” he stated.
He further stated that the association was working tirelessly with the Ogun state government to ensure a permanent solution to the flood crisis.
“In the last one week, we have put in a lot of effort by going to the dam and engaging the government of Ogun state to reduce the shedding of water from the dam. The water has receded compared to the level it was before. Government promised to find a solution and also implement other interventions to deal with the issue. They are planning to commission a research to effectively develop a solution. We suggested some solutions to the government because we stay in the environment and we are trying to avoid a recurrence of the flood. We suggested the Channelization of water flows from the Oyan dam down to the river without flooding the residential areas, Construction of patterns around the river and we also proposed the elevation of some our roads to eliminate flood and protect the residential areas from getting flooded,” he disclosed.
The state governor, Dapo Abiodun, on Monday declared a state of emergency in the flooded community, as he assured residents of quick intervention.
He added that a comprehensive assessment would be conducted to secure a conducive environment for the residents.
The governor addressed journalists after inspecting the flooded community and he stated that the Ogun state government is working with the Federal Government to deal with the situation as an emergency case.
“We will prioritise the works here because I am touched with what I have seen. I will ensure that we immediately begin to see signs of relief as we step this up. The Minister of State for Environment is already aware. The Vice President is already aware and also the President. It will be dealt with as an emergency and we are taking it as such.
As an emergency, I would like to take it up myself. Please continue to bear with us as we are going to conduct a comprehensive assessment of what we need to do to make this place conducive for living,” he promised.
While addressing the residents of Riverview Estate, Abiodun said he had requested for an area survey of the estate to identify critical areas that needed immediate intervention.
He sympathized with the residents of the estate and pledged that the intervention would be through the construction of an elevated road with adequate drainages to end the menace of flood in the community.
“I want to assure you today, knowing fully well that we are a promise keeping administration, we do not say what we do not mean, my heart goes out to you, it is very unfortunate, I am giving my commitment today, the commissioner for works will come and see what needs to be done.
Before the end of the week, I will also table it before the Vice President and the President as well so that we ensure that this problem gets all the desired attention and consequently gets the desired solution so we can bring this to an end
We will also discuss the issue of the Ogun-Osun River Basin Authority and try and interrogate the activities there and understand how their activities affect this community and other communities with respect to the opening and closing of the dam,” he reassured.
The governor described the environment around the Kara cattle market as an eyesore and not befitting the dreams of a “New Ogun State.”
He said that the market was not conducive to human living and not in alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals and Waste disposal.
The Chairman, Riverview Estate CDA, Abayomi Akande, in his remarks, intimated the governor about the suffering residents of the area are experiencing as a result of the perennial flood situation.
He proposed the need for a panel of inquiry into the operations of Oyan Dam to stop the incessant release of water causing havoc in the state.
He commended the governor for sending miscreants packing from the road, saying residents of the axis have suffered robbery attacks and other criminalities.
Akande urged the state government to consider converting the area into a Government Residential Area (GRA) through Public Private Partnership arrangement to foster its development.