The Ekiti State Government has ordered the immediate identification and marking of illegal structures obstructing waterways for possible demolition to prevent flooding and its devastating effects. This directive was issued by the Deputy Governor, Chief (Mrs) Monisade Afuye, during the launch of the 2025 National Preparedness and Response Campaign (NPRC) organised by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) in Ado-Ekiti. She highlighted that the Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NiMet) had listed Ekiti among states at high risk of flooding in 2025, prompting the need for urgent proactive measures by local governments, traditional rulers, and state agencies.
Mrs Afuye emphasized the state’s repeated experiences with flooding and related disasters in recent years and praised Governor Biodun Oyebanji’s continued investment in environmental safety. She urged collaboration between NEMA, SEMA, and local government councils to take the flood awareness campaign to grassroots communities. She also stressed the importance of enforcing environmental regulations, desilting of waterways, erecting flood barriers, discouraging illegal building practices, and promoting community-based disaster preparedness strategies.
Representing NEMA Director General Zubaida Umar, Mr. Fred Anusim underscored the urgency of the sensitization, citing NiMet’s forecasts and the recent flooding disaster in Mokwa, Niger State, where over 150 lives were lost due to human interference with natural landscapes. He praised the accuracy of NiMet and Hydrological Service Agency forecasts and emphasized the need for public awareness. The General Manager of Ekiti SEMA, Mr. Oludare Asaolu, also warned of the dangers of recurring floods, while traditional rulers, including Oba Ayorinde Ilori-Faboro, called on the Federal Government to address the worsening erosion issues in the state.
