Ogun State government has allayed the fears of residents of Isheri, Akute, Warewa, Abule Otun in Abeokuta and others living in lowland areas of the state of any impending flood as a result of the release of excess water from the Oyan Dam.
Ola Oresanya, Commissioner for Environment, in the state gave the assurance after inspecting the integrity and management strategy of the Dam at its operational site in Abeokuta in the aftermath of the incessant flooding in many parts of the country.
While addressing journalists after the inspection, he said the dam is presently operating at just 56 percent of its water-carrying capacity, so there is no excess water that will be released which will cause flooding in those towns.
“The dam is even looking at how to accommodate more water for irrigation as they are not even anxious about any release. The concern of the management team of Oyan Dam is how to have enough water for use during the dry season rather than releasing any water that will cause flooding”, Oresanya further disclosed.
He however said that any flooding in those towns, especially the border towns of the state that are close to Lagos will be due to encroachment on river tributaries as well as from tidal lock arising from a high rise in sea level which will cause backflow and spills as they are close to the lagoon and not from Oyan Dam.
He, therefore, advised the residents not to entertain any fear but to reduce all human activities on all river tributaries near them and stop dumping waste into drainage channels but key into the government’s effective waste management systems which is part of government efforts at reducing flooding to its barest minimum.
