Over 100 residents of Oke-Ako, in the Ikole Local Government Area of Ekiti State, have been Rendered homeless after a heavy rainstorm wrecked their buildings and properties.
The Friday evening downpour, which lasted for over two hours, also destroyed some electricity facilities across the town, thereby subjecting residents to total blackout.
The General Manager of the Ekiti State Emergency Management Agency, Jide Borode, while confirming the incident, said the rainstorm effect could have been minimized if the house owners in the area had keyed into the tree planting initiative of the state government.
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However, the Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, has visited the area, describing the occurrence as highly devastating.
Represented by his Deputy, Monisade Afuye, during an on-the-spot town assessment yesterday, the governor sympathized with the residents.
Afuye was conducted around the affected areas by the regent of the town, Ogunbiyi Tinuade Adebayo; the lawmaker representing Ikole Constituency 2, Adeoye Aribasoye; and the chairman, Ajoni Local Council Development Area, Michael Ogungbemi.
A statement by Special Assistant (Media) to the Deputy Governor, Victor Ogunje, quoted the Governor as expressing delight that no life was lost during the stormy rainfall.
“On behalf of Governor Biodun Oyebanji, I sympathise with you on the destruction caused by rainstorm to many residential buildings and electricity poles in this town , which we believe must have affected the wellbeing of the victims.
“Information at our disposal and on-the-spot assessment revealed that roofs of scores of residential buildings and electricity facilities were destroyed during the stormy rainfall, thereby rendering many homeless and helpless.
“We sympathise with the victims at this trying time and plead for calmness, in the sense that a natural disaster of this nature is one occurrence that is difficult to control. But with personal precautions and right efforts, its effects can be minimised.”
