BY DEMOLA AKINYEMI

ILORIN— Kwara State government has begun the sensitisation of people living in flood prone areas of the state, with a view to relocating them before the period of heavy rains in the state.

The government has also provided two temporary camp sites to relocate would- be victims of flood. One of the camp sites is located at Muslim Pilgrims camp in Ilorin metropolis, while the other is a virgin land cleared at Patigi Local Government Area of the state.

The state Head of the Civil Service and Chairman, Committee on Flood disaster and Rehabilitation, Alhaji Mohammed Dabarako disclosed this at a press briefing in IIorin yesterday.

Dabarako identified five local government areas prone to flood in the state.

According to him, they include Patigi, Lafiagi, Kaima, Moro and IIorin South Local Government councils, pointing out that the Committee would persuade residents living in river banks to

vacate following prediction of heavy rainfall this year.

Dabarako added that the committee would similarly visit the managements of Jebba and Kainji Dams to implore them release water from dams before the heavy rains set in.

Justifying government’s decision to relocate those living in flood prone areas, he said, “damages recorded during the 2012 flood disaster is still fresh in our minds considering valuables in terms of properties, livestock, farm produce and buildings that were destroyed. With the recent forecast by NIMET that there would be heavy rainfall this year, government has identified flood prone areas as well as begun daily sensitisation programme in form of radio/TV jingles, workshop/advocacy programmes and stakeholders’ meeting with those in flood prone areas of the state,” he added.