In a bold and proactive move to address the perennial menace of flooding, the Ondo State Government has continued the opening of canals and waterways across the state, with the latest milestone being the successful deployment of dredging equipment to the long-neglected Oke-Iya Community in Akure South Local Government Area.
The ongoing operation, executed in partnership with a reputable engineering and dredging firm, Ola-Sheu Dynamic Services, aims to mitigate the devastating effects of flooding that have plagued several communities during every rainy season. In what residents have described as a long-awaited intervention, today’s breakthrough marks the first time in decades that heavy-duty dredging equipment was able to reach Oke-Iya, a community notorious for its inaccessibility during flooding.
The difficult terrain leading into Oke-Iya had posed a major challenge, but the resilience and technical expertise of the contractor, eventually prevailed. With the commencement of the waterway clearing in the community, optimism is now high among residents who have suffered years of infrastructural neglect and repeated displacement due to massive floods.
Expressing their joy and gratitude, community members welcomed the government team with cheers, some even recounting personal losses and emotional trauma caused by past flooding incidents. According to Mrs. Ajoke Ogunlade, a local trader, “We have cried for years. Our children miss school whenever it rains because we are cut off. But today, we feel remembered. We see hope.”
The dredging initiative is part of a comprehensive, statewide flood mitigation programme launched by the Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa-led administration, which has declared a zero-tolerance policy toward preventable flood disasters. The effort will involve the systematic opening and clearing of blocked canals, natural waterways, and drainage systems across urban and rural communities.
Speaking on the development, Senior Special Assistant to the Ondo State Governor on Public Enlightenment, Comrade Olufemi Lawson, who witnessed the event, affirmed that the dredging and channel-opening exercise is a continuous operation and will not stop until every flood-prone area in Ondo State has been addressed. “What we are doing is not cosmetic. It’s strategic. The rains will no longer be a threat to lives and livelihoods in our communities,” he said.
The state government is also calling on residents to support the initiative by desisting from indiscriminate waste disposal into drains and cooperating with ongoing works.
As the rainy season intensifies, the people of Ondo State can now look forward to a future where seasonal floods no longer wreak havoc, thanks to the renewed determination of their government to invest in lasting, community-focused solutions.