Osun State government has appealed to the federal government to quicken the release of ecological funds to states to curb environmental disaster across the country.
The Osun state consultants on Urban Planning, Environment and Sanitation Hon. Bola Ilori made the call during his monitoring visit to Rasco bridge in Osogbo where dredging of water ways is going on.
 

 
Ilori blamed the recent flooding in parts of the state capital on massive and uncoordinated release of water from Asa Dam in Kwara State with direct consequence on Owala Dam that opened its gate for eventual flood that ravaged the town.

“The state was really shocked at the flooding that happened earlier in the week, we did not expect such level of flooding considering the efforts that had been put into dredging in the past five years.
“A critical study of the situation showed that the main cause of the problem was the uncoordinated release of water from Asa Dam in Kwara State that subsequently forced Owala Dam to open its gates which laid the foundation for the eventual flood that our people witnessed.”
“We have applied for the ecological funds and it is on record that Osun state has not earned 10kobo on ecological fund in the last five to six years since Governor Rauf Aregbesola came on board, yet we have dredged over 270 kilometres of waterway carting out 4.3 million metric tons of sand and debris in the last six years.” He said
He stated that since year 2010 up to 2014, the state has been dredging the waterways but mid-2015 the dredging became a victim of financial situation.
He further disclosed that Osun have expended 2.8 billion on dredging of waterways over the period of five years, but last year till this year it has not really dredged anything because of the financial challenges in the state.
“And even out of the 2.8 billion we are still owing, over 35% of the money, we have not been able to pay all the money, that is looking at the issue of flood and erosion control on the Ministry of Environment side, apart from what Ministry of works have done in terms of concreting some waterways. The state has serious ecological challenges that deserve urgent support from the federal government”. He said
According to Ilori, the revenue mobilisation commission had upon evaluation of the state’s ecological situation recommended 12 billion Naira for Osun September last year, but nothing has been released  and if the money has been released  the government would be able to pay their outstanding commitment and would be able to really line some of its waterways with concrete.

Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun has said that his administration did not receive ecological fund from Federal Government in last five years.
 

 
This is contained in a statement by Mr Semiu Okanlawon, Media aide to the governor in Osogbo on Thursday.
Aregbesola, said the demand by the state chapter of PDP that government should justify how it spent ecological funds in the wake of the flood that affected some parts of the state was uncalled for.

“Osun did not receive any ecological fund from the PDP Federal Government from Nov. 27, 2010 to May 29, 2015.
“We have expended our legitimate revenues from all sources to annually dredge our waterways up till 2015 when revenue decline hindered our efforts.
“Despite the dirty politics played by the PDP government at the centre, Osun remained one of the few states that had never experienced any flooding since 2011 not until the unfortunate incident of Tuesday, Sept. 13.
“We are concerned with the agony of our citizens and shall do all in our power to limit the pains and prevent a reoccurrence.

“We are committed to eliminating all hindrances to free flow of water in the canals, drainages and waterways in the state”.
Aregbesola, while calling on the people of the state to desist from indiscriminate dumping of refuse, urged them to always patronise registered waste collectors.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that flood wrecked havoc in some part of the state on Tuesday, Sept. 13, during which property worth million of naira were destroyed

A Non-Governmental Organisation, Refuge of Life Foundation, has donated 1,000 books to Osun State Library Board.
Receiving the books on behalf of the State Government of Osun, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Mr Sunday Festus Olajide, thanked the non-governmental organisation for donating the books and for the efforts being made in promoting reading culture among youths.
 

 
The Permanent Secretary stressed that promotion of functional education is one of the pillars of the Six-Point Integral Action Plan of the present administration in the state and noted that despite the lean purse of the state, the state Government has managed the state library resourcefully and skilfully.
He noted that there are four inter-related skills to be acquired in language. These include reading, writing, speaking and listening out of which reading culture is essential and must be resuscitated because of its prime role in research and acquisition of knowledge.
He then thanked the donors who are youths for their contribution to the state library thereby giving this generation of youths and the next hope for the future.
Also speaking, the state Librarian, State of Osun Library Board, Mrs Adefunke Kolawole also commended the non-governmental organisation who are made up of young people and are ready to mobilise their resources and energy for the development of youths in the state.
She then enjoined all other youths and philanthropists to emulate the good example by donating more books to the state library, pointing out that the state Government cannot do it alone.
The State Librarian also enjoined youths to cultivate reading culture so that they can acquire necessary knowledge for self development and societal growth.
Also speaking, the founder of the Non-Governmental Organisation, Mr. Bolarinwa Olabode said he is motivated to contribute his quota to youth development so that young boys and girls can form and develop the culture of reading and acquire necessary knowledge for self development believing that there is strength in knowledge

The Osun Government on Saturday deployed an Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) to Ibokun community in the state for bank to reopen for commercial activities.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that WEMA bank, the only commercial bank in the town was shut for business activities in December 2015 due to a robbery attack.

NAN recalls that a gang of armed robbers had on Dec. 15, 2015 attacked the bank, during which two people were killed, many injured and a large sum of money was carted away by the robbers.

One of the conditions listed by the bank’s management to resume operation was the provision of an armoured vehicle by the government to guarantee the security of their businesses.

The deployment of the vehicle, which was facilitated and renovated by Mr Bosun Oyintiloye, a lawmaker representing the community at the State House of Assembly, was received with joy by the residents.

Oyintiloye, while handing over the vehicle to the Divisional Police Officer in the town, Mr Durodola Taofeeq, said he took the decision to assure the people and business operators in the community of their safety.

He said that the reopening of the bank in the town would revive its commercial and economic activities.

Oyintiloye thanked Gov. Rauf Aregbesola for providing an enabling environment for business to thrive in the state.

He called on the management of the bank to resume business activities, adding that the environment was now secure for them to operate.

The traditional ruler of the town, the Oba’bokun of Ibokunland, Oba Festus Awogboro commended the efforts of the state government and the lawmaker towards ensuring security of lives and property.

Oba Awogboro said that the residents of Ibokun and its environ had been experiencing hardship in banking transactions since the armed robbery attack.

Mrs Adeyemo Ramat, the Iyaloja of lbokun, said that the reopening of the bank would boost the economic development in the town.

Osun State Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has described the flood that wreaked havoc in Osogbo, the state capital after the Eid-El-Kabir Sallah as devastating and advised people of the state to desist from indiscriminate dumping of refuse on the water ways.
Speaking during his visit to affected areas including Oke-Onitea, Rasco, Fiwasaye and Gbomi, the governor commiserated with the relatives of the person who loss his life in the flood and also sympathised with those who lost properties.

 
The Governor said the flood occurrence took the state by surprise given the heavy investments of his administration on flood prevention since 2011.
“Considering our efforts in the past, we never expected this kind of flood. Our government deeply regret the flooding that has affected our people,” he said.
After the tour which took him to all the areas affected Aregbesola said, “We have been quite committed to ensuring absence of this calamity since the advent of our administration as we have been regularly dredging the waterways on annual basis and as a matter of fact, we are still very much indebted to those who normally work with us to ensure cleaning of our waterways.”
The governor attributed the development to what he called the negative impact of people’s activities on the environment, adding that a huge accumulation of wastes remains a major invitation to flood.
But the opposition party in the state blamed governor Aregbesola for the loss of lives and properties insisting that the governor must explain what he did with the ecological funds given to the state.

Gov. Rauf Aregbesola of Osun on Thursday in Osogbo attributed the recent flooding in the state to the negative impact of the people’s activities on the environment. Mr Semiu Okanlawon, the Media Aide to the Governor, said in a statement that the governor expressed the view during a tour of communities affected by flood recently.
 

 
 
The communities are Okeonitea, Rasco, Fiwasaye and Gbomi. Okanlawon quoted the governor as saying that “huge accumulation of wastes remained a major invitation to flooding in the state’’ as it blocked the waterways. He said the governor appealed to the people of the state to be hygienic and to cooperate with the state government in maintaining good liveable environment.
 
“Our people must henceforth obey government sanitation control and the collection of waste that we put in place. “If we religiously follow it, we will never experience this devastating flooding, everyone is urged to dispose his or her waste responsibly,” the governor added. He, however, expressed sympathy with those affected by the recent flooding, Okanlawon said.
 
The governor said the flood took the state by surprise judging by the heavy investments of his administration on flood prevention since 2011, Okanlawon added.
 
He added that considering its efforts at ensuring clear waterways in the past, the state government never expected the flooding. “Since 2011, the government has been embarking on massive dredging of waterways in all parts of the state in order to prevent such disaster.
 
“As a matter of fact, we are still very much indebted to those who normally work with us to ensure the cleaning of our waterways. “Our government deeply regrets the flooding that has affected our people,” Okanlawon quoted the governor as saying.

Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun Wednesday evening expressed sympathy with residents of the state capital Osogbo who were affected by flood.
Aregbesola, in a statement by the Director, Bureau of Communication and Strategy Mr. Semiu Okanlawon, was quoted as speaking during his tour of the affected areas which included Okeonitea, Rasco, Fiwasaye and Gbomi.
 

 
The Governor said the flood occurrence took the state by surprise judging by the heavy investments of his administration on flood prevention since 2011.
“Considering our efforts in the past at ensuring cleared waterways, we never expected this. Our government deeply regret the flooding that has affected our people,” he said.
Since 2011, the government had been embarking on massive dredging of waterways in all parts of state in order to stave off such disasters.
After the tour which took him to all the areas affected Aregbesola said,
“I have moved around to commiserate with the victims whose properties were affected by this disaster.
“We have been quite committed to ensuring absence of this calamity since the advent of our administration as we have been regularly dredging the waterways on annual basis and as a matter of fact we are still very much indebted to those who normally work with us to ensure cleaning of our waterways.”
The governor attributed the development to what he called the negative impact of people’s activities on the environment adding that a huge accumulation of wastes remains a major invitation to flood.
He said, “This happens mostly when the negative activities of the people impact on the environment as we have seen a huge accumulation of wastes blocking the free flow of waterways.
“I want to use this opportunity to appeal to our people to heed our call to live very hygienic life. Let us cooperate with the government in the maintenance of good liveable environment.
“Our people must henceforth obey the government sanitation control and the collection of waste that we put in place because if we all religiously follow it, we will never experience this devastating flooding.
“Our government is aware that those who cause this are not living in this environment but the consequences of their unhygienic culture caused this -the loss of millions of naira and assets.
“Let us all run away from what we called pains, agony and misery to our fellow human beings as everyone is urged to dispose his or her waste responsibly.
Pastor Dayo Oluwamakin of the Christ Apostolic Church Gbonmi area, while speaking with Governor Aregbesola during the tour commended the governor for what he called the government’s previous efforts at preventing what used to be the annual disaster before the advent of the Aregbesola administration.
He said he was sure that the government had done well in preventing flood before this latest incident.

The Government of Osun on Thursday described as fallacious, demand by the State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party to justify how the state spent ecological funds in the wake of the flood that affected some parts of the state capital.
 

 
The government said it smacks of total ignorance and mischief for the PDP not to recall how funds such as ecological funds were used to play dirty politics and victimised states under the control of the opposition party.
The Government, through a statement by the Bureau of Communication and Strategy, Office of the Governor, said Osun did not get any ecological funds to execute its massive projects which prevented flood since 2011.
“Osun did not receive any ecological fund from the disastrous PDP Federal Government from November 27, 2010 to May 29, 2015. We have depended on our legitimate revenues from all sources to annually dredge our waterways up till 2015 when revenue decline hindered our efforts,” the Bureau’s statement, signed by its Director, Semiu Okanlawon, explained.
The Bureau said despite the dirty politics played by the PDP government at the centre, Osun remained one of the few states that had never experienced any flooding since 2010/2011 till the unfortunate incident of Tuesday, September 13, 2016.
It said the government of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, left no part of the state untouched in its proactive massive projects to save the environment.
The government asked the PDP to go back to its records to remind itself of the wickedness it perpetrated against states under opposition parties throughout its 16 years of clueless rule.
“We are concerned with the agony of our citizens and shall do all in our power to limit the pains and prevent a re- occurrence, as we are committed to eliminating all hindrances to free flow of water in the canals, drainage systems and waterways in the state. All obstructions to free flow of water in these channels will be removed, while property blocking easy access to the drainage channels thus preventing adequate management of them will be separated,” the statement added
Calling on the people to desist from indiscriminate dumping of refuse and waste into the canals, the government reminded residents of the need to patronise registered waste collectors and the authorised dump sites.
The statement also advised those seeing the unfortunate incident as avenue to jubilate to search their conscience adding that the people of Osun are quite aware of the massive projects executed to prevent flooding in the state since the inception of the administration.

The Osun State government has promised to intensify efforts to ensure that waterways are clear to avert a recurrence of flooding that led to the death of one person and destruction of property.
 
 
 
Governor Rauf Aregbesola and his Deputy, Mrs Titilayo Tomori-Laoye, made the promise on Wednesday evening when they visited some of the areas affected by the flood to commiserate with them.
Addressing reporters at the Cac Oke Igbala DCC Headquarters in Gbonmi area of Osogbo, Governor Aregbesola said his administration was deeply sorry for the loss of life and property of the people.
Regularly Desilting Waterways
The Governor urged the residents to desist from indiscriminate dumping of refuse, which he said was largely responsible ‎for the flooding.

He said his administration had in time past invested so much in dredging the major waterways identified as flood prone zones ‎to avert such occurrence.
Governor Aregbesola, however, promised that his government would ‎intensify efforts at ensuring that the waterways were made free to avert future occurrence.
“We have been very much committed to ensuring absence of this calamity.
“Since the advent of the administration, we have been regularly desilting the waterways on an annual basis.
He said that although the state had received a flood alert, the government had, considering its deflooding efforts, it never expected it to have the devastating effect.
It had rained heavily for hours in Osogbo the capital of Osun State, resulting to flooding of some communities.
Residents said help that came from the emergency agencies or the state authorities was late.

Channels Television’s correspondent, who returned to the scene of the incident, said residents property have been destroyed and the flooding has left one person dead.
A woman and her daughter were trapped in a store just as many of the residents around one of the communities were stranded after a bridge collapsed.
One of the residents affected said the cause of the flooding was a bridge that they said drainages within the area were channeled, which they insisted was too low.
“The government should break down that bridge and carry it up just like that of Ajegunle and create a very good gutter here. That is all we need,” he requested.
 
Credit : Channels TV