Osun Flooding: Adeleke Unveils Containment Plan, Orders Audit Of Projects Since 2020

Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke has issued comprehensive containment directives to strengthen flood risk management and emergency response across the state.

The directive, according to a statement by the Governor’s spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, is aimed at boosting the state’s preparedness, response and long-term resilience to flooding following recent incidents in parts of the state.

The governor also ordered all relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies to immediately undertake coordinated actions on the flood situation.

According to the directive, the Ministries of Environment, Works, Water Resources, Lands and Physical Planning, Health, Agriculture, Local Government Affairs, as well as the Osun Waste Management Agency (OWMA) and the Osun State Emergency Management Agency (OSEMA), are to jointly assess all affected communities.

“Affected local governments are to submit verified flood incident reports detailing locations, households impacted, infrastructure damage and immediate needs, while OSEMA is to coordinate emergency assistance and establish a verified register of affected households.”

The Ministry of Works was directed to immediately inspect all reported damaged bridges, culverts and roads and implement emergency safety measures.

Adeleke also ordered the Ministry of Environment and OWMA to carry out emergency clearance of critical waterways, drainage channels and culvert entrances.

“As part of long-term measures, the governor ordered a Flood Infrastructure Performance Audit covering major interventions undertaken from 2020 to date, and the development of an Osun State Flood and Stormwater Master Plan based on catchment-level hydrological and hydraulic assessment.”

He also directed the establishment of “OSUN FLOOD WATCH” as an integrated early-warning and community reporting platform, and the creation of a Bridge and Culvert Hydraulic Safety Register to classify critical crossings according to structural and hydraulic risk.

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The Ministry of Works is to strengthen enforcement against developments obstructing waterways, drainage corridors and floodways, while the Office of the Director-General and Special Envoy on Climate Change is to coordinate a consolidated climate-risk and flood incident intelligence report.

The governor directed all MDAs to submit initial implementation reports within 14 days of the directive, with a consolidated progress report to be submitted monthly throughout the remainder of the rainy season.

“The objective of this directive is not merely to respond to the present flood events but to establish a permanent, data-driven and climate-resilient flood-management system for Osun State,” the statement noted.