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Ogun
flood victims get succour
Newsdiaryonline Thur March 24,2011
The Ogun State Government has paid N285 Million
naira to victims of last October’s flood disaster that ravaged
Isheri and its environs in Obafemi Owode and Ifo Local
Government areas of the State. It has also put the cost of
reconstruction of roads and bridges damaged by the flood and
permanent measures to curb future occurrence at N7Billion. The
payment which was personally supervised by Ogun State Governor
Otunba Gbenga Daniel at the Isheri Headquarters of the Gateway
City Development Company on Wednesday March 24 saw the victims
getting between N12 Million and N50, 000 depending on the level
of losses.
Governor Daniel who said the money was sourced from the N700
Million Federal Government Special Intervention fund also
announced the commencement of works on the dredging of rivers
and earth canals , reinstatement of roads washed away by the
flood and other palliative measures. He however acknowledged
that the final and permanent solution was beyond the State
Government urging the Federal authorities to intervene massively
through the ecological funds. Speaking on behalf of the
communities Mr. George Akinola appreciated the prompt release of
funds to those affected and commended efforts of the Ogun State
Road Management Agency, OGROMA for
mobilizing to site to commence road rehabilitation in the area.
He however called on President Goodluck Jonathan to intervene
and ensured that the ecological funds was used to permanently
solve the problem in the area as it was well beyond the
capability of the State Government. The same position was
reechoed by Mr. Emeka Abasi
whose Company Hallmark Publishing Limited was virtually
submerged by the flood. The publisher said the Federal
Government should intervene to save residents of the area and
businessmen who have invested millions into various ventures
from a
reoccurrence by ensuring that the ecological funds was deployed
to solve the problem in the axis which straddles Lagos and Ogun
States. Chief Afolabi Ajomale Chairman of the OPIC Estate
Community Development Association also appreciated the effort of
government to grant relief to victims but stressed that the
Federal Government should put a permanent smiles on the faces of
residents of the area by using the ecological funds to solve the
problems which he described as recurrent and devastating.
The payment followed the the submission of the report
of a committee set up by Governor Gbenga Daniel to devise
measures to prevent reoccurrence and verify the claims
of residents of communities who were worst affected by the
Flood. The Chairman of the Committee, Dr Adeleke Adedoyin who is
also the States commissioner for environment, said 1638
residents in the affected area submitted a claim of N 2biilon
naira but his committee which included Civil Engineers,
Estate Surveyors, and furniture experts came up with a figure of
N570 Million through verification.
The committee however recommended that the State Government
should defray the losses by 50 per cent hence a total of
N285 Million was recommended as financial assistance to the
victims of the disaster. The
committee said the reconstruction of roads and bridges
damaged by the flood would cost N2Billion while
measures to prevent future occurrence including creation of
three artificial lakes, de-silting of Oyan Dam and dredging
along the path of Ogun River was put at N5 Billion . Already
some roads and bridges damaged by the flood including the Oke
Igbehin twin bridges are undergoing reconstruction while some
have been completed.
The Governor in Council while accepting the recommendation of
the committee expressed appreciation to President Goodluck
Jonathan for the release of N700 Million to tackle damages cost
by the flood disaster but noted that it was a far cry from the
N7Billion required to tackle the problem. The State executive
Council therefore urged the Federal Government to come to the
aid of the State through the ecological fund.
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