Flooding: Ilaro Communities Lament Poor Drainage,…Calls for Govt Assistance
Kusoro Jeremiah
Several communities in the ancient town of Ilaro , which is the headquarters of Yewa South local government of Ogun State have raised alarm concerning the drainage system of the town aftermath of the heavy downpour of yesterday.
The most affected areas in the town are Sabo, Sawmill, Gbogidi, Alaraba and Orita Pahayi where most of the road linkages have been rendered inaccessible for motorists.
Mr Balogun whose workshop was filled with flood in an interview with NigerianEcho said it is another day he won’t forget in a hurry. According to him, if not for timely intervention of people around, it would have been a different story as the flood from the rain almost swept his shop away, the incident he attributed to the poor drainage system in the town.
Balogun said, the only recognized and well channeled drainage is that of Ogburu. Although the people of Ogburu area enjoyed one of the best drainage system, but it’s the reverse in the case of people of Gbogidi and Sabo.
NigerianEcho discovered that most people living in the interior parts of Gbogidi had to find an alternative means of getting to their respective homes as flood has taken over the muddy road and this is as a result of the unavailability of any noticeable drainage in the area.
A youth in the area popularly called Kausara, a barber said “Am not sure if Gbogidi can have a better drainage in years to come as it has been one of the abandoned community in Ilaro. Despite our effort as a community to control the nagging erosion, it cotinues to take over our roads, among the two motorable road that lead to Gbogidi, one has totally been taken over by water and it takes wisdom and years of experience to pass through the water log that do occur everytime there is rain.”
While calling on the government to help in finding a lasting solution to the issue of the flood berated the attitude of some landlords and ladies building along the erosion way and their collaborators in the town planning depatment, who collect money and allow people to erect structures along water ways.
Also at Alaraba/ Kumoye, it is same case as the roads there have been eaten up by flood. our findings in the area revealed that, Kumoye street is also having same challenges with Gbogidi. Road leading to Aderogun has been rendered unaccesable for the past 5years.
One Mr Johnson said, ” Going to Aderogun street via library is better, but on getting midway, you will notice you cannot go any further as the road has been covered by bushes beacause it has been taken over by erosion and you can imagine how you will feel; very disappointed. Also, most of the erosion coming from library empties itself on the corpers’ road which is the road that linked Kumoye and Alaraba, however just because of the volume of the water passing through the road, it has been rendered useless for more than 15 years as most parts of it has now being covered with big canals and bushes.”
Also, Mr Sunday who lives on the street said “I am not sure we are part of any goverment because since I have been passing the road before I packed in, the road has been like this. Thus you see most people in the area park their cars on the main road. The erosion passing here can sweep away a car away if care is not taken. The flood when it rains its either you are at home before the rain start or you stay extra hours outside the street for the erosion to reduce before you can access The road.” he said.
The communities call on both the federal, state and local governments to come to their aid by finding a long lasting solution to their problems. This it was noted can be achieved by helping them construct a good and well channeled drainage in all the affected areas in the town.