Health and Economic Concerns as Mysterious Ogun River weeds remain uncleared

Section of Ogun River covered by weed

Section of Ogun River covered by weed

Tractor near the river

Aquatic and human lives are at risk as the large piles of water weed that suddenly covered a section of the Ogun River start decomposing.

Correspondent Innocent Onoh who visited the site for an update quotes residents as appealing to government to speedily clear the water weeds so that water transport and other economic activities which have suffered as a result of the incident could resume.

One of the residents Tunde Kayode looking seen frustrated after he could not cross over to Kara market, wondered why it was taking government long time to clear the weeds and open the water .

His word; “We do not have government here. This thing happed over one week now and nothing has been done to clear the weed. See, I cannot cross over, so also others. The boat cannot operate because grasses have covered everywhere. “

However, a caterpillar was seen between a Chinese company there and the river.

While some residents thought it was for the purpose of clearing the weeds, others said the caterpillar was small in size for the river and could be for other purpose.

Residents  and passersby around Kara cattle market, under the Lagos –Ibadan Expressway raised an alarm on 18th of this Month that a section of the Ogun River on that axis, measuring about 200 meters  in diameter had mysteriously dried up.

 A women then narrated; “ I live at Magboro in Ogun State and pass here often for my business. Getting here this Morning, (June, 18, 2016), it is so supprising and unbelievable that the river has suddenly dried up. It is a miracle. I have known this river to be here for over 30 to 35 years . It is supprising to see that everything has changed all of a sudden . It is beyong human comprehension”.

 However the Ogun State Commissioner for Environment , Bolaji Oyeleye who visited the site then for inspection, cleared the air on the weed inversion, saying what actually happened was that strong water currents from a dam that was opened to release excess water, washed down the huge pile of weed and deposited it there.

“The Ogun Osun dam was released and it has increased the water level. There is torrent on the river course. It has brought along with this lots of items including the water weeds.

By Innocent Onoh