As Assembly Moves to Curb Flooding in Ondo State…

Fidelis David reports that the 10th Ondo state House of Assembly has since it’s inauguration June, 2023 set the ball rolling by focusing on serious legislative business proving that it won’t be rubber-stamp parliamentary body.

On Saturday, June 3, 2023,  the 10th  House of Assembly in Ondo State was inaugurated, after the oath of office was taken by the 26 members following a proclamation by Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu with a member representing Ondo East constituency, and another lawmaker representing Ilaje Constituency 1, Hon Olamide Adesanmi Oladiji and Hon Abayomi Akinruntan elected speaker and deputy speaker respectively.

The 9th Assembly members led by Bamidele Oleyelogun David were accused by some people of  being a rubber-stamp parliament or pawns who rubber-stamped the whims and caprices of the Executive but the then Chairman, House Committee on Information, Gbenga Omole denied the allegation.

Perhaps, in a move to change the narrative, the 10th Assembly in the sunshine state has since it’s inauguration in June set the ball rolling  by focusing on serious legislative business and has been proving that it won’t be “rubber-stamp” Assembly or  “business as usual”.

Few weeks ago, flood-ravaged some areas in the state capital, Akure, following a torrential downpour that lasted for two days, resulting in a flood that affected several areas including Oba Adesida road, Oke-Aro, Oke-Ijebu, Araromi, NEPA, among others.

Pronto, the Acting Governor of the state,  Lucky Ayedatiwa, visited the victims and assured them of government intervention and long-term strategies to prevent any reoccurrence of the incident.

Ayedatiwa who expressed sympathy for the victims affected by the devastating flood in the capital city noted that the on-the-spot assessment became necessary for possible intervention and to sympathize with the affected residents, as the government has a responsibility to take care of the people’s welfare.

“I decided to come around so as to assess the extent of the havoc caused by the flood. We will do the needful to ensure safety by involving the officials of the Ministry of Works and Environment to clear all these canals.

“We shall do everything to forestall future occurrences, but I want to implore people around the canal to stop disposing of refuse into the canals. The government will do everything to help and assist in clearing these canals,” he said.

Aside the state capital, perennial  ocean surge had on several occasions destroyed property of residents of Aiyetoro, a costal community in Ilaje local government area of the state while many had been rendered homeless.

It is pertinent to state that Ilaje Local Government as a whole remains the only oil-producing community in Ondo State which contributes about 60,000 per barrel of crude oil per day to the country’s oil production and accounts for 13% Oil derivation fund accruing to the state . Aside its oil wealth, Ilaje Local Government is famous for having the longest coastline in Nigeria estimated at 75km, bitumen, glass sand and quartz.

For emphasis, last year, there was unprecedented flooding across the country with millions of acres of farmlands and properties worth billions destroyed. The flood also caused the death of more than 500 people and displaced several thousands more.

In Kogi state alone, the menace led to the displacement of 200,000 persons, destroyed businesses, farmlands, crops, schools, hospitals, and homes while some motorists  remained stranded for more than five days, and more worrisome were truckers of perishable cash crops who lost millions of naira as their goods  rotten away.

Although, Ondo State isn’t one of the 14 states listed by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to be prone to flood in 2023 but the state has so far witnessed heavy rainfall leading to flooding.

The development has triggered the 10th Assembly in the state to take legislative measures to check the recurrence of flooding and attendant disasters and also mitigate the adverse impacts on the people.

Deliberating on matters of urgent public importance, the House unanimously in a voice vote recently called on government of the State and other relevant stakeholders to take proactive measures on disaster, prevention and rehabilitation of affected citizens.

While calling on the Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP) to be more proactive in prevention and management of disasters, especially in the coastal communities of the State, the parliamentarians directed the Clerk of the House to write to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and other relevant stakeholders with a view to sensitizing them on the plights of affected people and the need to come to their aid.

In his contribution, the Deputy majority leader of the House,  Oluwatosin Ogunlowo Ajirotutu, expressed displeasure over the incessant flooding across the state, lamenting that lives and valuable properties had been lost to the flood.

The Deputy Speaker of the House, Hon. Abayomi Akinruntan, expressed worry over the incessant flooding in Ilaje and Ondo East local governments.

Also contributing, the Minority leader of the House, Hon. Olajide Oguntodu, explained that flooding is now becoming a serious concern to all and sundry, saying it has displaced many people in the state.

Responding, the Speaker of the House, Hon Oladiji Olamide said:  “As elected representatives of the people, we cannot fold our arms and watch helplessly as our people relish in untold hardship, poverty and squalor. We must take a proactive position. To this end, the Ministry of Environment (Commissioner or top official) is summoned to appear before the House on Tuesday, 25th of July in order to brief members on its disaster prevention plan for this year.

“We shall share a common goal and bring the benefits of democratic governance to the good people of Ondo State”, he explained.

According to the speaker, the House would not be unduly antagonistic to issues and policies that would add value to the lives of the people who elected them.

“We will work with the Executive arm. We shall explore every avenue humanly possible to develop the land and the people even in the face of glaring challenges confronting us as a nation”, he said.

While calling on residents to desist from indiscriminate dumping of wastes on waterways, the speaker therefore, set up a  seven-man ad-hoc committee on environment to effectively engage stakeholders and find solution to the perennial flooding problem.

The Chairman of the committee is  Ololade Gbegudu,while other members are Rotimi Abitogun, Olawumi Fayemi, Nelson Akinsuroju, Olatunji Ifabiyi,  Babatunde Fasonu with  Tope Odole serving as Secretary while the committee is mandated to report back to the House in seven days.