Flooding: Many houses In Ilorin sitting on Asa River tributaries, laments Works Commissioner

By Stephen Olufemi Oni, Ilorin

The Kwara state Government has decried a situation whereby many buildings within Ilorin metropolis are sitting on water ways, noting that the unsavoury development has been the major cause of seasonal flooding in the capital city.
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Commissioner for Works and Transport, Sulaiman Rotimi Ilyasu, who stated this during a tour of flood-prone areas in the capital city, pointed out that poor waste disposal and management culture also added to the seasonal flooding in the metropolis.

Ilyasu, who visited flood-prone areas like Yidi road, Ibadan road in Adewole, and Ilorin-Ajase-Ipo road,
said: “Lots of houses in Ilorin are sitting on Asa River tributaries.”

He said: “Flooding costs the state government an estimated N1 billion a year, expended on relief for victims, desilting of blocked drainages and temporary repairs,” adding that shoddy job done by contractors hired by previous administration has not helped 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 this case on Yidi Road, you have a point-4-ring used instead of something bigger, like point 8,” the Commissioner said.

Same case, Ilyasu added, happened at Ilorin-Ajase Ipo road, Ibadan road in Adewole and many other places.

The Commissioner urged the people to stop harmful practices like building on waterways and pouring waste into gutters, adding that from details of Ilorin Master Plan, it is evident that many houses in ilorin are sitting on waterways.

“If you put your house on waterway how do we help you? Such houses will have to go for the good of all. But right now, we will see how we can raise money to build culverts,” Ilyasu said.

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