A water resources management expert, Michael Ale, has called on the Ekiti State Government to strengthen institutions and enforce urban planning regulations to tackle recurring flooding across the state.
Ale, Coordinator of the Global Development Initiative, said weak enforcement of environmental laws, poor urban planning and ineffective institutions were major factors behind the repeated floods.
He urged the Ekiti State House of Assembly to enact a Flood Resilience and Urban Planning Enforcement Law to strengthen flood prevention and protect lives and property.
The call followed recent flooding in parts of Ekiti, particularly Ado Ekiti, where lives and property were reportedly lost while economic activities were disrupted.
In a statement issued in Ado Ekiti on Wednesday, Ale said flooding should no longer be treated as an unpredictable disaster because rainfall patterns, waterways and major risk factors are already known.
“Flooding in Ado Ekiti is predictable. NIMET predicts it. The rivers are known, the causes are known – building on waterways, blocked drains, no dredging before rainy season, refuse in canals,” he said.
Ale said the recurring nature of the floods showed the need for institutions capable of enforcing environmental and urban planning regulations and punishing violations.
“If it is predictable and preventable, why does it happen yearly? It is because we have no institutional framework that enforces consequences,” he added.
He proposed mandatory annual dredging of the Ureje and Elemi rivers before March, as well as 50-metre no-build buffer zones around waterways.
He also called for criminal sanctions against construction projects undertaken without adequate drainage clearance.
Ale recommended the establishment of a dedicated waste management institution with powers to sanction residents and businesses that dump refuse in drainage channels.
He further urged the government to establish an emergency management institution with a functional early-warning system to alert residents ahead of severe rainfall and flooding.
The expert noted that Ekiti already has a 30-year Development Plan containing provisions on flood control, sustainable urbanisation and environmental resilience.
However, he questioned the effectiveness of monitoring and evaluation mechanisms for ensuring that the plan’s objectives are implemented.
Ale urged the government to ensure that urban expansion does not obstruct natural waterways or worsen flood risks.
He also proposed a committee of experts to develop a comprehensive, long-term flood management strategy for the state.
According to him, Ekiti could draw lessons from Ibadan, Oyo State, where government intervention followed severe flooding and included efforts to secure external assistance.
He said Ekiti should also seek support from the World Bank and other development partners to finance sustainable flood-control projects.
Ale stressed that the solution must go beyond emergency responses and address the root causes through better urban planning, drainage management, waste disposal, river dredging and strict enforcement.
He also advised residents to avoid entering or crossing floodwaters during heavy rainfall, warning that such actions could result in drowning and other dangers.
He said residents should remain patient until floodwaters recede before attempting to move through affected areas.
Ale’s recommendations highlight the need for Ekiti to shift from reacting to flood disasters to implementing long-term measures based on legislation, planning, infrastructure, waste management and early-warning systems.
