Despite Warning of More Rain, Ikere Dam Will Not Spill – Experts ….As Farmers Warn of Possible Food Crisis Over Flooding, Kidnapping

Despite Warning of More Rain, Ikere Dam Will Not Spill – Experts

….As Farmers Warn of Possible Food Crisis Over Flooding, Kidnapping

The people of Oyo State, especially those resident along riverine areas, as well as farmers have been assured that the Ikere Gorge Dam will not spill its body of water to the nearby rivers.

This is as the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) warned recently that there would be more heavy rains that might aggravate flooding in Nigeria after many States have suffered loss of lives and displacements of many people in the country.

Some former staffers of the Ogun-Osun River Basin who spoke with The Chronicler Newspaper said there was no basis for fear as the dam’s gate could only be opened if its water level gets to 36meters.

According to Mr. Tolulope Aina, “the system of the dam is a free flow system and other river tributaries join the water and until it gets to 36meters, it will not overflow not to talk of it getting to the point of opening the dam gates to relieve the dam.

“There is no need to panic as the water level is currently reducing, tell people living or farming along the river lines that are connected to the dam not to panic, the NIMET’s warning was majorly for the dams that have overflown before and have been released, not a dam like Ikere,” Aina said.

Meanwhile the Chairman of the Iseyin Farm Settlement Association, Mr Rasheed Adepoju has cried out to Oyo State government to urgently come to the aid of the farmers in the State, many of who have abandoned their farms due to the activities of kidnappers and flooding of their farmlands,

Adepoju in a chat with our correspondent on Monday said many farmers have abandoned their farms over then last kidnap incident at the settlement where four farmers were kidnapped while one was killed and the rest were later released after the payment of ten million naira ransom.

He said the people of the State should brace themselves for a spike in the cost of foodstuffs like yam and grains, as many farmers could not access their farms over the fear of attacks by kidnappers or violent herders.

He also alluded the possibility of food crisis in the State to the level of rainfall in the year, which he said has affected the session’s planting and harvesting of some crops, making it difficult for the farmers to re-coop their investments.

“It is time for the government of Oyo State to come to our aid, our people have all abandoned their farms because of the fear of kidnappers and rising water level, the consequences abound, there will be food shortage which will spike up the price.

“Also more youths and elderly ones that have taken farming as their means of livelihood are today left in the lurch, no access to their farms because of the fear of being snatched, their crops getting destroyed by herds of cattle or submerged in water because of the flood, we cannot sit and wait anymore, help has to come,” he pleaded.