The government of Oyo State is set to donate a permanent site to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) in its domain.
Governor Seyi Makinde hinted this while receiving NEMA’s Director-General, Mohammadu Mohammed who was on flood advocacy visit to Southwest states.
Represented by his deputy, Rauf Olaniyan, Makinde restated commitment to ensure effective disaster management, with a particular reference to flooding.
He said that donating a permanent site to NEMA would enhance adequate management of disasters across the state.
The governor said: “The state government through the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) has been collaborating with NEMA to engage all stakeholders with the aim of ensuring safety of all residents especially during heavy downpour.
“Additionally, Oyo state government will continue to partner with all relevant agencies and stakeholders in the fight against flood and other forms of disasters in the state.”
The NEMA boss, who was represented by the Director of Search and Rescue, Air Commodore Kolawole Adedokun, said the agency decided on the advocacy visits to enlist the support and commitment of state governments among other stakeholders in tackling flood.
Noting that eleven council areas in Oyo State have been listed as flood-proned, Mohammed urged the government to mitigate flood with proactive measures.
He said: “I wish to draw the attention of your Excellency to the 2020 seasonal rainfall prediction and annual flood outlook. These documents have forecast flood situation for different parts of the country.
“The annual flood outlook informed that 102 local government areas, 28 states, fall within the highly probable risk areas, while 275 local government areas in the 36 states of the federation including the FCT fall within the moderately probable flood risk areas.
“The remaining 397 local government areas fall within the low probable flood risks areas. Unfortunately, the predicted floods have started to occur in many parts of the country therefore, it is imperative to activate all plans and measures against the prediction as the season moves towards the peak.
“This year, the probable flood risk areas are Ona-Ara, Lagelu, Oyo East, Kajola, Egbeda, Ogbomoso South, Iseyin, Ibarapa North, Ibadan South West, Ibadan North West, and Ibadan South East local government areas.”
