Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has ordered a comprehensive audit of flood-control infrastructure projects executed in the state from 2020 to date, alongside the introduction of an early-warning system to improve preparedness and response to flooding.
The governor also directed relevant ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) to immediately assess flood-affected communities, document the extent of damage and coordinate emergency assistance to residents displaced or affected by the incidents.
The directives, announced on Thursday, October 1, in a statement signed by his spokesperson Mallam Olawale Rasheed, are aimed at strengthening the state’s emergency response capacity and establishing a long-term, data-driven approach to flood management.
Under the directives, the Ministries of Environment, Works, Water Resources, Lands and Physical Planning, Health, Agriculture and Local Government Affairs, alongside the Osun Waste Management Agency (OWMA) and the Osun State Emergency Management Agency (OSEMA), are to conduct a coordinated assessment of affected communities.
The affected local governments are also expected to submit verified reports detailing the locations of flood incidents, the number of households affected, damage to infrastructure and the immediate needs of residents.
Adeleke directed the Ministry of Works to inspect damaged bridges, culverts and roads and implement necessary emergency safety measures, while the Environment Ministry and OWMA are to clear critical waterways, drainage channels and culvert entrances.
OSEMA is to coordinate relief efforts and establish a verified register of affected households, while the Office of the Director-General and Special Envoy on Climate Change will prepare a consolidated report on climate risks and flood incidents across the state.
The governor further directed the development of an Osun State Flood and Stormwater Master Plan based on hydrological and hydraulic assessments of drainage catchments, as well as the establishment of OSUN FLOOD WATCH, an integrated platform for early warnings and community-based flood reporting.
To address infrastructure vulnerabilities, the government will develop a Bridge and Culvert Hydraulic Safety Register to classify critical crossings according to structural and hydraulic risks. The Ministry of Works is also expected to strengthen enforcement against developments obstructing waterways, drainage corridors and floodways.
All affected MDAs are to submit their initial implementation reports within 14 days, while a consolidated progress report will be submitted monthly for 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 governor was quoted as saying.
