Leyoo Ajeokun
The Ekiti state government has made clarifications on a report that some people yesterday were consumed by flood at Ureje area of Ado- Ekiti, the state capital as contained on a trending video.
The government in a press release signed by the state Commissioner for information,Rt. Hon. Taiwo Olatunbosun explained that the heavy downpour on Tuesday afternoon actually led to flooding in some areas of the capital city but however the report that three people were swept away by the flood is untrue.
“The fact is that the people seen in the video screaming for help were rescued from the flood by residents of the area almost immediately.
“The Government of Ekiti State is mindful of the various predictions by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMET) of heavy rainfall and flooding in many parts of the country, including Ekiti State, this year and has put in place mechanism to check erosion and flooding. This include dredging of canals, construction of bridges, distillation of Culverts, improvement in disaster response and management as well as improved waste disposal system among others.
“As a responsible government, we do not take all the warnings for granted. While we continue to invest in safety and security of the environment, we urge citizens of the state to cooperate with government in making the environment safe for all”
The government therefore urged residents ” to avoid indiscriminate dumping of refuse and erecting structures on waterways as this contribute significantly to flooding. They are also advised to avoid flooded areas particularly during heavy rainfall”.