By Michael Adesanya/ Abeokuta
The Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo Wednesday visited flood disaster areas in Abeokuta to assess the extent of damage.
Heavy rain, last Friday claimed 12 lives and also destroyed property worth millions of naira.
Osinbajo, in company of the State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun and other top government officials visited Isale-Igbein, Gbangba, Ago-Ijesha, Sokori, Itoku and Ijeja. Some of the survivors were still salvaging their property when the Vice President and his entourage called.
Osinbajo who was surprised at the level of damage pledged the federal government’s “immediate” assistance, through provision of relief materials to cushion the effect.
He disclosed that the federal government was already collaborating with all the States that are facing similar challenges to find a lasting solution.
He explained that from what he saw, it was obvious that, the situation could have been worse if there were not good channelisation in some of the areas.
The Vice President advised residents to avoid things that would result in flooding, such as building on water ways and dumping of refuse in gutters.
He also urged residents in flood prone areas to always be alert and not to wait until the water level gets to dangerous stage before attempting to move.
Osinbajo said, “Let me say that what happened is very unfortunate. Indeed, a lot of drainages have been done but the level of the rain was so heavy that it overtook the infrastructure in place.
“What we are looking at is how this can be enhanced and we are also discussing with His Excellency (Amosun) on how the Federal Government can be of assistance,” he said.
We have to really sit down and look at those challenges properly, we are providing immediate relieve materials to support the state government.
“We learn that the NEMA was here to provide the immediate succour. On a permanent basis, we are planning on how to sit with the state government on how to provide the succour.
“We are fortunate that it didn’t take place at night, because if it did, and there was a sudden surge of water, it would naturally cause a lot of disasters.
“One of the things that we have to do as a people is that we have to change our attitude of blocking drainages, despite channelisation, where you have much rain falling with short hours, we are likely to have this kind of situation.
“What we might have to do is that when we have this kind of heavy rain, those living in the valley would have to move quickly to higher ground because there is nothing we can do about the valley, a valley is a valley.
“The Federal Government commiserate with the family of the victims and the state government and I also want to say that God has been gracious to us, it could have been worse but for the drainage and the channelisation and a lot of infrastructures here which has helped to move the waters, as you can see, it has been dissipated despite huge surge in the flood”, the Vice President said.