The Ekiti State Government has intensified measures to mitigate the impact of flooding following the prediction by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) that some parts of the state are at risk of flooding this year.
The General Manager of the Ekiti State Environmental Protection and Watershed Management Agency, Mr. Olukayode Adunmo, disclosed this in Ado Ekiti, saying the state had commenced flood control measures long before the latest NiMet prediction. According to him, the administration of Governor Biodun Oyebanji began a comprehensive flood mitigation programme in 2023, with particular attention to areas identified as flood-prone.
Adunmo said the state government’s proactive approach had enabled it to tackle flooding through regular dredging, rehabilitation and clearing of waterways, as well as desilting of drainages and culverts across several local government areas.
He commended Governor Oyebanji for his foresight and commitment to addressing flooding without waiting for annual predictions before taking action. “Ekiti State is a unique state in terms of preparation for mitigating the effect of flooding in our environment. When Mr. Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, came on board, we had what I would describe as a medium-term expenditure framework to tackle flooding for a period of three years.
“Combating flooding generally in Ekiti State started in 2023. I must commend Mr. Governor for his proactiveness and forthrightness in tackling this problem headlong without waiting for NiMet predictions.”
The General Manager disclosed that between 2023 and 2026, the state government had undertaken extensive dredging and rehabilitation of waterways in several parts of the state.
He listed Ado-Ekiti, Ikere-Ekiti, Ekiti South-West, Ido-Osi, Ise/Orun, Irepodun/Ifelodun and Aiyekire Local Government Areas among areas that had benefited from the intervention. According to him, Ado-Ekiti and Ikere-Ekiti have remained major areas of concentration because they have repeatedly been identified in annual flood predictions by NiMet and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).
“On a yearly basis, NiMet and NEMA always report that Ado-Ekiti will be flooded.
Adunmo said the interventions had contributed significantly to preventing devastating flooding in Ado-Ekiti and other parts of the state. He added that the agency was currently carrying out dredging operations at Irewumi Extension in Ado-Ekiti, while similar interventions had been undertaken in other flood-prone communities.
He explained that the government’s flood control efforts also covered the desilting of drainages and culverts to ensure free flow of stormwater.
The General Manager disclosed that about N1 billion,180 million naira had been expended between 2023 and 2026 on dredging of waterways, desilting and related hydraulic infrastructure maintenance across the state.
He said the agency had carried out desilting operations in several local government areas, including Moba, Ikere, Ekiti South-West, Ado-Ekiti and Irepodun/Ifelodun.
Adunmo stressed that maintaining hydraulic infrastructure was critical to preventing flooding, noting that clearing waterways alone would not be sufficient if residents continued to block drainage channels with refuse. He therefore appealed to residents of Ekiti State to support the government’s flood mitigation efforts by keeping waterways, drainages and culverts free of waste. “Dumping of refuse in waterways should be discouraged. It is a very common practice, not peculiar to Ado-Ekiti, but we are trying as much as possible to ensure that this poor habit of dumping refuse in waterways, drainages and culverts in Ekiti State is reduced to the barest minimum,” he said.
He warned that residents found violating environmental regulations could face prosecution in accordance with the law,
The General Manager also disclosed that the agency, in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment, was intensifying public enlightenment and sensitisation campaigns through radio, television and social media.
Adunmo explained that the campaign was designed to educate residents on their responsibilities, particularly during the rainy season, stressing that government intervention could only be effective when citizens played their part.
“As we are dredging the waterways, we don’t expect residents to go behind us and dump refuse in those waterways. As we are desilting drains and culverts, we encourage Ekiti citizens to desist from the habit of dumping refuse in our drainages and culverts,” he said.
He urged residents in flood-prone communities to remain vigilant and cooperate with government agencies by avoiding activities capable of obstructing the free flow of water. Adunmo reiterated that the state government would continue to strengthen its flood prevention and mitigation measures in line with weather forecasts and the peculiar environmental needs of communities across Ekiti State.
He, however, emphasised that preventing flooding was a shared responsibility between government and citizens, urging residents to complement the government’s efforts by maintaining clean and unobstructed drainage channels