The Ekiti State House of Assembly has appealed to
those living in the flood-prone areas in state to relocate in compliance with
the warnings and prediction of the Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NIMET) that
more torrential downpour is underway.
The assembly said relocating to safer areas would
be of tremendous help in saving the lives of the people and spare the state of
mourning its beloved ones.
The Deputy Speaker of the assembly, Hon. Hakeem
Jamiu, who represents Irepodun/Ifelodun state constituency II, gave the charge at
the weekend while assessing the level of damage done by flood in Iworoko area
of his constituency.
Jamiu, who was at a student hostel in Iworoko
Ekiti, partly submerged by water, commended the state Governor, Kayode Fayemi,
for distributing relief materials to the affected students of the Ekiti State
University.
He also charged residents of the state to desist
from dumping refuse in drainages and stop erecting structures on waterways.
According to him, "NIMET has predicted that
there will be heavy downpour in August and September in some states in the
country, including Ekiti, and sensitising our people in this regard will be our
first legislative duty as we resumed from our recess.
"The first motion we moved was that the
residents should brace up for the coming heavy rainfall. We also appealed to
our people not to dump refuse or build houses on waterways because these are
the causes of the devastating flooding."
Jamiu noted that the ravaging effects of the flood
could have been mitigated if the residents have not been blocking waterways,
drainages and canals.
The deputy Speaker expressed the government resolve
to dredge some streams and rivers like Omosuo, Ureje and Ogbese, calling on the
residents to play their part in ensuring that they guard against flooding in
the nearest future.
"The government would provide succour for
those who were rendered homeless by the flood. But I want to warn the residents
to guard against indiscriminate disposal of waste in the drains in the nearest
future.
"Arrangements have been put on the top gear to
sensitise the residents on the effects of dumping refuse in waterways, canals
and drains on radio and television in the state,” he said.
The lawmaker, who visited the affected areas of the
constituency along with the local government area Chairman, Hon. Dapo Olagunju,
said he would convey the plights of the victims to the state government, having
evaluated the extent of the damage cause to human and properties.
He pledged that the state government would
accelerate the distribution of more relief materials to the victims of the
natural disaster.
Some victims of the incident, Abdulhakeem Aroba and Ahmed Sodiq, who were EKSU students, pleaded with the
state government for help and support.
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