‘Wole Adedeji, Ilorin
Seasonal flooding in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, is caused by the sitting of houses on waterways, Commissioner for Works, Sulaiman Rotimi Ilyasu, has said.
According to Ilyasu, “Lots of houses in Ilorin are sitting on Asa River tributaries according to Ilorin Masterplan.”
He explained this while on tour of flood prone areas in Ilorin including Yidi Road, Ibadan Road in Adewole, Estate as well as Ilorin Ajase-Ipo road. The last, being a federal road.
The Commissioner also pointed out that poor waste disposal and management culture also added to that the same building attitude are responsible for the flood problems in the state hinterland.
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He had said; “flooding costs the State Government an estimated N1 billion a year as the money spent on relief for victims, desilting of blocked drainages and temporary repairs”.
Ilyasu further added that shoddy jobs done by contractors hired by previous administrations in the State had not helped either, in the management of the situation.
“For instance, part of the problem in the Yidi Road flooding is that narrow rings were used to channel water which are easily blocked by wastes coming with the flood.
“In the case on Yidi Road, you have a point 4 ring used instead of something bigger, like point point 8,” the Commissioner said. Same case happened at Ilorin-Ajase Road, Ibadan Road in Adewole and many other places, the commissioner stated”, he added.
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He pointed out that people should stop harmful practices like building on and pouring wastes into gutters saying, “don’t build on water ways, building on waters puts many people in danger. If people come together to vote for the governor, same people must help the governor govern well.
“From the details of Ilorin Master plan, it is so clear that many houses in ilorin are sitting on water ways. “If you put your house on water way how do we help you? The houses will have to go for the good of all. But for now, we will see how we can raise money to build culverts,” Ilyasu said.
