The Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has sympathised with victims of the recent flooding in Osogbo, the state capital, and other communities across the state.
The party, in a statement issued on Thursday by its Director of Media and Information, Kola Olabisi, expressed concern over the hardship caused by the flooding and prayed for residents affected by the disaster.
The APC said the flooding had disrupted livelihoods and created serious difficulties for many families across affected communities.
It identified Jagun, Uniosun Community, Iya Dudu Community, Osunlepo, Koledowo, Olude Aranhin, Kunike, Baruwa, Gbodofon and Oke-Osun among areas in Osogbo reportedly affected by the flooding.
The party also noted that other towns across Osun State had experienced the impact of the continuous rainfall, leaving residents to cope with the consequences.
“We share in the grief that the natural disaster caused by the continuous rainfall might have brought on the victims in the state,” the statement said.
The APC assured residents affected by the flooding that they were not alone, adding that the party shared their concerns during the difficult period.
“We want to assure the victims of the flooding that they are not alone in this experience that they were made to go through by the reason of the natural disaster,” it said.
The party called on the Osun State Government, Federal Government, public-spirited individuals, religious organisations and civil society groups to provide assistance to residents displaced from their homes.
It also urged the state Ministry of Environment to develop effective measures to prevent future flooding from causing severe damage, while calling for temporary relief for people displaced by the disaster.
The APC appealed to the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, to extend assistance to affected communities, saying intervention was necessary to reduce the impact of the flooding on residents.
The party also called for stricter enforcement of town-planning regulations, public education against building on waterways and proper disposal of waste, urging residents and authorities to work together to prevent blocked drainage channels and future flooding.
Meanwhile, the Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, on Wednesday, directed the Special Task Force on Environmental Sanitation to visit affected communities and assess conditions contributing to the flooding.
He also commiserated with residents and families affected by recent flooding in Osogbo and other parts of the state,
A statement by his spokesperson Olawale Rasheed, said Adeleke expressed concern over the impact of the flooding on homes, businesses and livelihoods, stressing the need for prompt assessment of affected areas and appropriate environmental interventions.
The governor directed the Special Task Force on Environmental Sanitation, led by Elder Ayanleye Aina, to visit the affected areas and prepare a response plan for the state government.