Naomi Gabriel —
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) yesterday in Akure, the Ondo State capital, sensitized residents, mostly market women, against the indiscriminate dumping of refuse in waterways.
Kadiri Olarewaju, Head of Operation for Ondo, Osun, and Ekiti, according to Environews, said it was important due to predictions that rain would be much this year.
Olarewaju, represented by the Senior Planning Officer M.D. Okoye, noted that if the drains were blocked, water would always find another route and the reason for flooding.
He said that Ondo State is one of the flood-prone states and advised the general public to be mindful of the way they disposed their wastes.
The head of Ekiti operations said the agency was not only a reactive one, but also acted on reports and facts available to be a proactive and prevent such predictions.
He said there are several challenges in curbing flood, especially when people would not stop building and dumping refuse on waterways, not heeding to warnings and advice to leave flood-ravaged areas.
“This road walk is deemed necessary, considering the prevailing weather conditions. we thought it wise that we sensitise the people, the general public, most especially those in the markets.
“We noticed that when this flooding comes, it is as a result of blockage in drains that have to force the water to look for it’s way and at the end of the day, we find this water coming to our house and business places and we thought it wise to sensitise people to proper waste disposal,” he said.
Olarewaju said people should not also build their houses on flood prone areas as well as water ways, to help reduce flooding.
