ONDO, OGUN CONSOLE OYO GOVT

Earlier, the government had set up three committees which included the Control Room, with numbers communicated to the Broadcasting Corporation of Oyo State which continually broadcast numbers which the public could call for assistance, especially in recovering dead bodies that were washed ashore by the heavy flooding.

Wife of the Oyo State Governor, Mrs Florence Ajimobi, has sympathised with the victims as she toured the affected areas, distributing relief materials. Mrs Ajimobi, who declared that she shared the grief of the victims, encouraged the affected people to take heart and put their trust and hope in God as He alone could restore their losses.

According to her, 'we are assessing the affected areas again in order to identify the specific areas and people that have been displaced, with a view to providing immediate support and relief materials to meet their needs'.

Mrs Ajimobi, who visited Oke-Ayo Street at Ibadan South West Council Area, Agbowo Area in Ibadan North, Sacred Heart, Odo-Ona Area in Ibadan South West, among others, promised that the state government would step up the distribution of relief materials to all the affected areas with immediate effect.

Commiserating, the Ogun State Government, yesterday sympathised with the government and people of Oyo State over the disaster that claimed many lives and destroyed property.

A statement by the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Yusuph Olaniyonu said government expressed shock at the level of the havoc wreaked by the flood in Oyo State and noted that it surpassed a similar incident that occurred in Lagos on July 10, 2011. Governor Ibikunle Amosun, who is in Saudi Arabia on lesser Hajj, has since called his Oyo State counterpart, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, to express his sympathy and that of the state government.

The state government prayed that God would console the families of those that lost their lives and minimise the losses incurred by those whose properties were destroyed in the disaster. The state government called on the Federal Government and all other disaster management agencies to quickly come to the aid of the Oyo State government in its bid to restore normalcy and bring succour to those affected by the natural disaster.

'Ogun State government is aware that Oyo is not just a neighbouring state but its people share several things in common with their brothers and sisters in Ogun state.

'These common factors include the fact that the two states host some big rivers and therefore are prone to flood disaster of the magnitude witnessed in Ibadan at the weekend.'It is the wish of Ogun State Government that the governments of Ogun, Oyo and Lagos States should co-operate to find lasting solution to the periodic flooding in these states and we believe the federal government should give maximum assistance to the initiative,' the government stated. Also, the Ondo State Government on Sunday expressed shock over the flooding, saying, the disaster was very unfortunate.

Governor Olusegun Mimiko, who rued the loss of lives and property that trailed the weekend's flood which he regretted came about five days to a similar one that happened on August 31, 1980, commiserated with the people and government, the Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Samuel Odulana, the Olubadan-In-Council and families of those who lost their loved ones and property and prayed to God to console them.

In a statement by the Chief Press Secretary, Mr Kolawole Olabisi, quoted the governor as saying, “I want to commiserate with the entire people of Ibadan, Oyo state in general and my colleague, Alhaji Abiola Ajimobi, the Governor of the State, who had to cut his Umrah in Mecca short to take charge of things in Ibadan over the sad incident and the attendant woes that trailed it.

“It is not only an unfortunate incident but a sad one indeed coming at a time when we thought we have put such unfortunate occurrences behind us in this country. It is equally regrettable that the fury of the flood reared its head again barely five days to a similar dreadful incident in the city on August 31, 1980, 31 years ago.

“May the good Lord consoles our people and grants those who lost their lives eternal rest in His bosom. May He also give the families of the deceased the fortitude to bear their losses. I also wish to console those who lost property not to despair as I am sure that government will rise to the occasion and help you out to resettle and resume your normal lives, “ Mimiko said.