The Ekiti government has ordered the demolition of structures on waterways across the state to avert flooding.

Deputy Governor Monisade Afuye gave the directive on Monday during the flag-off of a stakeholders’ engagement on the 2025 Flood National Disasters and Response Campaign.

Speaking at the event organised by the National Emergency Management Agency in Ado Ekiti, Ms Afuye directed local government councils and the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development to begin the marking of structures on waterways.

She expressed regrets that Ekiti witnessed repeated and devastating cases of flooding and windstorms that wreaked havoc in some towns in 2024 and 2025.

The deputy governor stated that NiMet had issued a warning that Ekiti would be one of the potential flashpoints for flooding in 2025.

According to her, this makes it expedient for local government chairpersons to prevent desertification, ensure regular desilting of waterways, encourage tree planting, and stop people from building in flood-prone areas.

Ms Afuye also encouraged the evolvement of community-based disaster strategies.

She advised the council chairpersons to work with traditional rulers in their respective areas to sensitise people about flooding in view of NiMet’s prediction.

NEMA director-general Zubaida Umar said that the sensitisation programme was a swift response to the Nigeria Meteorological Agency’s forecasts that some states would be affected by flooding in 2025.

Ms Umar, represented by Fred Anusim, the team lead and NEMA’s head of research and planning, lamented the death of 150 persons in Mokwa, Niger, where houses were submerged by flooding.

The NEMA chief said the danger was caused by human interference with nature.

Ms Zubaida commended NiMet and the Nigeria Hydrological Service agency on their annual flood outlook that had helped in preventing calamities in the country through accurate predictions for each climatic year.

The general manager of the Ekiti Emergency Management Agency, Oludare Asaolu, stated that the proactive steps taken by Governor Biodun Oyebanji in dredging waterways and drainages have mitigated cases of flooding in Ekiti.

Also, the chairman of the Ekiti Council of Traditional Rulers, Ayorinde Ilori-Faboro, appealed to the federal government to focus attention on erosion ravaging many communities in the state.

He described this as the most troubling crisis bedevilling some towns.

(NAN)