From our Bureau Chief, Benin
As the rainy season begins with its accompanying flooding and erosion threats, the Edo State Government has raised the alert on the inherent dangers.
While it cautioned residents to be conscious of their environment, their movements and that of their wards especially whenever there is a heavy downpour.
The State Government issued an alert warning in a media briefing by the State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Prince Kassim Afegbua on Monday, 18 May, 2026.
This follows an alert notice by the Federal Government to the sub-nationals; (States) on the dangers which climate change, flooding and erosion poses during the rains, Prince Afuegbua said.
“These are very dangerous, and endemic reality we have to contend with at every point in time, particularly when the rains are coming.”
Hence the Government is calling on the people of Edo to help keep the drains and water channels clean, by desisting from dumping waste in them, he said.
“So to a large extent we are calling the Edo public to take the monthly sanitation seriously, and always dump wastes at the designated points.”
To tackle the situation, the administration of governor Monday Okpebholo is ensuring there is an adequate accompanying side drain built along every road construction, he asserts.
“We continue to insist that citizens must be patriotic, they must have a deliberate and conscious attitudinal reorientation; to see government as their own property and not the property of anybody.”
Prince Afegbua asserts that in spite of threats the rains poses, the government ensured construction works at the various sites continue.
He puts the total ongoing road construction stretch across the State, in the region of 533 km.
“So, we are not pretending about our interventions, we are clear in our approach, we are resolute that we will break the bogey (fear) of underdevelopment in this State.
“We are saying we want to behave differently, we want to perform differently, we want the people to see certain things are possible in Edo.
“We thank God that we have governor Monday Okpebholo; a man of few words, but very resolute when it comes to dealing with issues of development in Edo State.”
Reacting to the unfortunate incident which occurred in the heavy rain of last Thursday, in Benin, the Commissioner stated:
“The 11 year old young man who was swept away by flooding on that fateful day, was the reason I raised this alert that people must be conscious of their environment.
“…Now you have added a little twist which I have found interesting; which is that the drains when they are too smooth, they become endemic to the wellbeing of the people.”
His response to the suggestion by a journalist that the Government should erect a form of obstruction at strategic points in the drains to help reduce incidences of people being swept away most times it rains heavily:
“…I think what we need to do; at the take off points, we can have some level of obstruction not necessarily on the flow way.
“It is quite unfortunate this incident happened; that used to be the perennial problem of ‘five junction’ when Adams Oshiomhole was governor.
“When the rains are gathering, fear would envelope the people’s mind, and before you say Jack Robinson, one or two persons have been swept away by flood waters.”
