Osun market women call for enforcement of weekly sanitation to avert flooding

Market women and other stakeholders in Osun State are calling for the reinforcement of the weekly environmental sanitation to avert the looming flooding.

This came to the fore at an awareness and sensitisation workshop organised by the National Emergency Management Agency in Osogbo.

The Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency had disclosed that a total of 148 local governments across 31 states fall within the high flood-risk area and likely to witness flooding this year.

In preparation and prevention of this forecast, The National emergency management agency at a program played host to stakeholders including market women, community leaders, students and sister agencies related to the environment for sensitization and awareness campaign on proper waste management and flood preparedness.

In his lecture, Osun State director of flood control, Qamarudeen Odesanmi identified indiscriminate refuse disposal, encroachment of water ways, mining activities among others as major challenges to be addressed to avoid impending flooding.

Market women and community leaders in attendance stressed the need to reinforce the weekly sanitation exercise that has become ineffective in the state.

The agency said the devastating Impact of 2012 and 2022 flood disaster is a wakeup call to all tiers of Government to collaborate with NEMA to manage disaster risk and associated hazards before its occurrence.

The programme is being held in all the geo-political zones of the country to ensure behavioral change towards sustainable waste management practices and flood mitigation strategies.