We won’t stop releasing water from Oyan Dam — Agency
By Francis Falola
Thursday, 14 Oct 201


The management of the Ogun-Oshun River Basin Development Authority has said the agency will not stop the release of excess water from the Oyan Dam, explaining stoppage will endanger the lives and properties of people along the river channel.

In an interview with journalists in Abeokuta on Wednesday on the recent floods in some parts of Lagos and Ogun States, which were widely blamed on the release of water from the dam, the management of the dam led by its Acting Managing Director, Mr. Rasaq Jimoh, denied the allegation, attributing the floods to climate change.

He said, “If we stop the release of the excess water, the safety of the dam will be put into jeopardy and this will have severe consequences on the lives and properties of the people.

“It may lead to the collapse of the dam and this is going to lead to loss of lives of millions of people with billions of properties destroyed as towns and villages along the river channel will be wiped off.”

He said the agency never released water at night in the night but during the day to enable affected communities take precautionary measures.

The authority claimed that its investigation, which included a helicopter survey of the basin and the affected areas, carried out in conjunction with the Ogun State Government, identified the cause of the flood as global climate change that brought about exceptionally high rainfall globally this year, causing a rise in the Atlantic Ocean level and forcing Lagos Lagoon water level to rise and spread into the flood prone areas.

According to him, “A vast area of land (about 120 square kilometer) lying between Ikorodu/Kosofe/Ilate is flood prone and directly under the influence of backflow from the Lagos lagoon. This area is shared by both Lagos and Ogun States .

“Therefore, water from Oyan River , into which the water released from Oyan Dam flows, could only be a small fraction of the aggregate rain water flowing into the Ogun River from these tributaries which include River Ewekoro, Opeji River, Eredu River Iwopin River , Sokori River, Owiwi River and Abjire River among others.

The agency also blamed the flood situation on the construction of structures close to the river bank disregarding warning of “Green Belt Areas,” adding that the structures were put in place by the developers without consideration of possible flood.

He maintained that the existence of the dam had helped in controlling flooding, insisting that the release of water, which he said was usually done gradually, was not the reason for the flood.

He also disclosed that the authority had embarked on proactive measures by ensuring that the water from the dam was released to the barest minimum.

He stated the need for radical and holistic approach from the Lagos and Ogun State governments, Ogun-Oshun River Basin Authority, National Environment Maintenance Agency; State Environmental Maintenance Agency and the owner of estates and buildings in the flood prone areas as well as other stakeholders.