Osun State Ministry of Environment has commenced the clearing of waterways, streams, rivers and blocked drainages.

The action is in line with the directives of the State Governor, Ademola Adeleke to immediately activate the state’s Flood Control Plans.

DAILY POST reported that the Sasa Market located in Osogbo was submerged by flood on Saturday after a heavy downpour.

Officers of the Flood and Engineering Services in the Ministry of Environment and Sanitation led other workers to the sites of the flash floods that ravaged properties in some parts of Osogbo, the State capital, as well as other towns and cities.

The Director of Floods and Engineering Services in the Ministry, Engineer Odesanmi Kamorudeen, who made the disclosure in Osogbo, said the State Governor, Ademola Adeleke had mandated the Ministry to immediately activate the state’s flood control plans and forward its report, as well as actionable recommendations to him.

Odesanmi said clearing of the state waterways started on Sunday and continued on Monday with the clearing of debris removed from the blocked drainages, waterways and streams.

“The Government is on top of the situation. As I am talking to you, our machines are at work at various towns within the state,” he stated.

Our teams are opening up some waterways in some areas and we are not going to stop until we have concluded it.

“Every nook and cranny of the state will be cleared and no efforts will be spared at protecting lives and property of the residents. That is the mandate given to the ministry by His Excellency, Senator Ademola Jackson Nurudeen Adeleke,” Odesanmi stressed.

Reacting, the Spokesperson to the Governor, who also doubles as the Chairman of Osun Governor’s Advisory Council on Environment, Olawale Rasheed said the state has a flood preparedness plan, affirming that the Ministry of Environment has been working in that line.

He then noted that channeling of waterways and streams is going on across the state.

Commiserating with the victims of last week’s flash floods, Rasheed commended the responsiveness of the Ministry of Environment and called on residents of the state to play their part by avoiding indiscriminate dumping of refuse inside drainages, waterways and streams.

Some of the residents, however, appealed to the state government to help them reconstruct the failed portions of the line-drainage along Gbonmi, Alie and Okoko rivers in Osogbo.