Oyo activates flood alert for 2026 rainy season

The Oyo State Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, Ademola Aderinto, on Wednesday disclosed that the ministry had activated flooding alert and preparedness measures ahead of the 2026 rainy season.

Aderinto, who disclosed this during a press briefing and tree planting in commemoration of this year’s World Earth Day, tagged “Our Power, Our Planet,” organised by the ministry in Ibadan, the state capital, called on residents to join the state government in efforts to restore the environment.

Aderinto lamented that environmental challenges such as climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss had continued to pose serious threats to human health and sustainable development across the world.

He said, “In Oyo, these global concerns are reflected in local realities, including increasing waste generation, plastic pollution, indiscriminate dumping, and the pressures of rapid urbanisation. These challenges require deliberate, coordinated, and sustained interventions.

“In anticipation of the rainy season, we have activated flooding alert and preparedness measures, including early warning sensitisation to residents in flood-prone areas and continuous monitoring of drainage infrastructure. These efforts are aimed at minimising the risks of flood incidents and safeguarding lives and property.

“Oyo State Government, under the leadership of Governor Seyi Makinde, remains firmly committed to ensuring a clean, safe, and sustainable environment for all. In line with this commitment, the ministry has strengthened environmental sanitation enforcement in accordance with the Environmental Sanitation and Waste Control Regulations, 2013.

“We have intensified inspections of regulated facilities such as markets, eateries, hotels, and industries, while also implementing a decentralised waste management system to improve service delivery across all the local government areas in the state. We have expanded environmental awareness campaigns to promote responsible behaviour and public participation.

“On this note, I will call on the people of the state to join the State Government in the journey to restore Mother Earth to its natural form.”

The commissioner explained that the ministry had also intensified the desilting of drainage channels across the metropolis to ensure the free flow of stormwater and prevent blockages that often result in flooding.

“The ministry has also strengthened its pollution monitoring and control systems, particularly in the area of air quality management,” he added.

In her goodwill message, the state Commissioner for Health, Oluwaserimi Ajetunmobi, noted that changing weather patterns and rising temperatures were affecting public health.

“From this sequence, we can see that times are changing. This reminds us of one thing—that indeed, the climate is changing. As we celebrate today, part of the activities is environmental sustainability. We need to create awareness on deforestation, tree planting, gardening, and taking care of our waste.

“People burn refuse and cause a lot of air pollution, and it comes with a lot of health-related conditions. So, this is a clarion call to all of us to come together and work as a team to make our planet more comfortable for everyone to live,” she said.

In his welcome address, the Founder and Executive Director of Nature and Future Eco-Green Initiative, Elijah Adejimi, said, “We need to harness all our human resources and responsibilities to sustain what we all have, which is the planet Earth.

“We are calling on everyone to begin to take responsible stewardship of what nature has given to us. This initiative is driving tree planting, not just at the ministry but across Ibadan and the state in general.”