By Ola Ajayi
Ibadan – GOVERNOR Abiola Ajimobi has given a seven-day notice to owners of buildings built on waterways in Ibadan metropolis to relocate as demolition of all the illegal structures would start to prevent future re occurrence of the flood disaster that claimed scores of lives in the city last Friday.

He said this while on the spot assessment visit to all the areas affected by the disaster Wednesday.
his stance was supported by the Governor of Ekiti, Dr. Kayode Fayemi who brought some relief materials to cushion the effects of the destructive flood.

Ajimobi, who braved the rain went round all the areas which included Oke Ayo, Odo Ona Elewe, Agbowo, said his government would not tolerate illegality which would endanger lives of other people in the state.

The governor stated that the causes of the flood disaster was a man made because many residents in the city built houses on water ways and obstructed the pathway that the river should follow.

He did not mince words as he said his administration would not pay any compensation to those who violated building procedure of leaving at least 500 meters setback from the river.

But, he said all those who obeyed the law and were affected would be adequately compensated by the government.

He added that it was an understatement to say the city should be declared a disaster area adding that saying the loss was unquantifiable.

He said, We believe that there are three levels to the causes of the flood. There was rain which was natural. Bit when it fell water pathways had been blocked through refuse dumping and illegal construction on water ways.  The law says you must construct your building at least 150 metres away from water ways

What we see now, he explained further, was that a lot of people “are constructing not only on water ways but on the river bank. The water thus has no way to flow. So the first thing is to ensure that we clear the river paths. The second thing is that bad construction of roads by the past administration was partly responsible.

Three stages are involved in our response. Emergency response is the first thing which is what we have been doing. We have been going round and we have been providing relief materials for the victims. We set up temporary camps providing shelter and through which our people are accessing relief materials.

Part of the solution, he noted would be to set up a committee that would look at how to address the situation with a view to preventing a recurrence.

Ajimobi said, ” We will ensure that all illegal structures are removed. We are using this opportunity to give the normal mandatory seven days notice to all those trading on drainages and road sides to vacate. By September 7, we will start removing those obstacles – be it house or trading structure”.

He also vowed that his administration would ensure that there was discipline not only among our people but also in government.

He said, “The town planning rules are no longer obeyed. Otherwise you would not see people building petrol stations within metres away from each other. Currently, the approved distance by the government is 500 metres. It used to be 1.5 kilometres. You do not also build petrol stations in residential built-up areas because if there is fire, it will be difficult to control.

“What we are saying is that all rules and regulations must not only be obeyed but must be enforced.”
Fayemi explained that blocking of water channels was not peculiar to Oyo State. He recalled that his administration had to demolish some structures earlier in the year to free water channels.

He said Ibadan is his second home as it is to many other Ekiti indigenes. The governor condoled with the families of those who lost their loved ones in the flood and prayed for the fortitude to bear the loss.

Fayemi said to avoid such disaster, he had to order demolition of illegal structures in his state adding that it could be painful but normal thing should be done.

While at the relief camp at Oke Ayo, he scolded some people who capitalised on the opportunity to mix themselves among the victims.