Residents and property owners at the Ogun River Banks have been alerted to relocate to higher grounds as the Ogun Osun River Basin Development Authorities begin staggered release of water from Oyan Dam.
The Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, in a press release stated maintaining the sanctity of the dam and its socio-economic implications for Lagos as the reason for the release of the water.
According to him, the yearly operations within the dam are informed by real-time hydrological data, rainfall predictions from Nigerian Meteorological Agency and flood outlooks from Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency.
“However, I want to emphasise that while the flooding experienced in these areas has often been attributed solely to water released from the Oyan Dam, this is not entirely the case; In reality, the downstream section of the Ogun River is influenced by a complex network of over 52 tributaries, all of which converge and contribute to rising water levels in the affected areas” he said.
He said these tributaries, combined with rain-induced runoff, significantly exacerbate the flood situation adding that this is a critical point to consider when addressing flood management strategies for this region.
He stated that in an effort to reduce the flood risks and ensure the free flow of water within the Ogun River system, Ogun-Osun River Basin Development Authority (OORBDA) recently flagged off the dredging of the Ogun River downstream from the Ikorodu to Isheri axis (Ajelogo, Owode-Elede, Ajegunle, and under deck-on-pile of Itowolo Bridge) for the water released on Friday, 13th September 2024.
Wahab stressed that some right-of-ways along the catchment areas were protected and restored, saying that the dredging project was a proactive measure to deepen the river channel and increase its capacity to convey water, thereby reducing the likelihood of flooding during periods of high inflow.
The Commissioner said to effectively contain flooding the Government is determined to maintain the long-established synergy and partnership with Ogun-Oshun River Basin Development Authority which has ensured control and monitoring of the steady and systematic release of water from Oyan Dam to prevent flooding of the downstream communities.
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