States in the southern part of Nigeria have rolled out measures to curb the looming flood predicted by the federal government in the region.
Last Friday, the minister of water resources and sanitation, Prof Joseph Utsev, had alerted on the probable flooding of Rivers Niger and Benue and some of their tributaries, stating that a large volume of water was moving through rivers down to the Niger Delta region.
At the press briefing in Abuja on the flooding situation in Maiduguri, Borno State, the minister called for vigilance in all ramifications and proactive measures to address any eventual flooding in the southern part of the country.
In its response to the warning, the Delta State government has asked residents in lowlands and flood-prone areas of the state to relocate to safer grounds.
The government has also put measures in place to prevent flooding by clearing the waterways, encouraging the people living in the lowlands to relocate to safer places while it sets up IDP camps though the flood is yet to occur as predicted.
The state commissioner for environment, Jamani Ejero, said, “We are visiting the areas, asking the people to relocate to upland as well as clearing the waterways in a bid to control the volumes of the flood.”
Also, the state government has set up a 16-man Flood Management Committee.
The committee, headed by the secretary to the state government (SSG), Dr Kingsley Emu, has “identified and prepared upland locations that could be used as internally displaced persons’ (IDP) camps for persons who may eventually become displaced or dislodged, if the need arises.
On mitigation, the Ministry of Environment, the Waste Management Board and other stakeholders, have been directed to clear blocked drains and waterways to allow for free flow of rain water to the coastal lines where the state stormwater projects are directed to.
The chief press secretary to Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, Mr Festus Ahon, said the relocation became necessary following the opening of Lagdo dam in Cameroon.
“Meanwhile, the flood disaster management committee will provide relief materials to victims and should be adequately catered for,” he said.
“They will be accommodated at various internally displaced persons’ (IDP) camps nearest to them. There are dedicated phone numbers for affected citizens to call – 08064137841 and 08037200696 – for government intervention in the case of flooding.
In a related development, the director-general, Asaba Capital Territory Development Agency, Chief Patrick Ukah, has warned residents against indiscriminate disposal of refuse in drainages.
Ukah, who gave the warning during an inspection, said some parts of Asaba are prone to flooding and that the warning became necessary to prevent casualties in the event of flooding.
In Anambra State, government officials have concluded a tour of 27 internally displaced persons’ (IDP) camps in seven local government areas for residents of riverine areas to take refuge in the event of outbreak of heavy flooding in their communities.
The public relations officer (PRO) of the Anambra State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Mrs Chinyere Okoye told LEADERSHIP Weekend that a committee has been set up by Governor Chukwuma Soludo to sensitise people living in the riverine communities about the federal government’s warning on heavy flooding this year in coastal areas.
She said the team is headed by the state deputy governor, Dr Onyeka Ibezim while other members were drawn from the ministries of health, environment and women affairs.
Ibezim said the 27 IDP camps are in Anambra East, Onitsha-North, Onitsha-South, Awka-North, Ogbaru, Ihiala and Ekwusigo local government areas.
She however said the government did not provide any such camp in Anambra-West LGA because during flooding, the entire local government used to be “totally submerged.”
“We are ready for this year’s flooding. The sensitisation team headed by the deputy governor, Dr Onyeka Ibezim has concluded tour of all the internally displaced persons’ (IDP) camps to make sure that they are in good shape, and that the facilities are adequate enough to take care of those who may relocate to the camps when flooding starts.
“What we are doing now is that we are watching the water levels in the riverine areas,” the Anambra SEMA spokesperson stated.
Speaking with LEADERSHIP Weekend, the chairman of Abia State House of Assembly Committee on Environment and Urban Renewal, Kalu Mba-Nwoke, urged residents of the state to heed the alert
“We should learn from the recent experiences in some parts of the country and do the needful ahead of time without being pushed, so to say,” said the member representing Ohafia South constituency.
He appealed to residents to avoid dumping refuse at undesignated or unauthorised spots, clear their gutters and drainages, and to limit their movements under rains especially in the night.
At the ministry of environment, where it was gathered that the commissioner was attending a meeting, a staff, reacting anonymously, said the ministry had been enlightening the people on the alert.
“We’ve taken the message across the state. No stone will be left unturned. We will continue to talk to the people even after the period because you never can say,” he added.
An environmentalist, Nez Onyeka, who decried the attitude of both individuals and the authorities in the country to such alert, called for “urgent freeing and removal of blockages and structures on water passages.”
In Ekiti, the state government said proactive steps were being taken to avert possible flood disaster.
The state commissioner for Environment, Tosin Aluko-Ajisafe, who stated this said measures targeted at mitigating floods in the state had started long ago.
Speaking with LEADERSHIP Weekend in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, Aluko-Ajisafe said, the state government has been on this in all identified flood-prone areas for the past few months.
According to her, “All waterways across the state that needed to be worked on have been dredged. Presently, some waterways are being dredged at Igbaraodo in Ekiti Southwest local government area of the state.
“The waterways in Ado-Ekiti, Ilawe-Ekiti, Ikere-Ekiti and others have been worked on in the last three months.”
She added that the desilting of drainages and gutters in Ado-Ekiti is ongoing which had been carried out twice last year and this year.
“In Eyio, Ensure, Igbemo, Are Ekiti, Afao, Ikere, desilting of drainages is also being carried out as I am speaking now. And as they are desilting the drainages, the dirt and sands are cast away immediately, so no flood can really affect us here in Ekiti State.”
The commissioner, however, advised residents of the state to stop dumping refuse in the gutter and drainages to avoid blockage which could lead to flooding.
In Osun State, the government has embarked on massive dredging of some waterways in major towns to curb the menace of flooding ravaging many parts of the country.
The state government has also embarked on sensitisation of residents through print and broadcast media on the dangers of indiscriminate dumping of refuse on waterways.
The commissioner for Environment and Sanitation, Hon Mayowa Adejoorin while speaking with LEADERSHIP Weekend in Osogbo on the level of preparedness of the ministry for the 2024 rainy season said the state government started the dredging and clearing of waterways even before the flood alert was released.
He appealed to residents of the state to stop dumping refuse indiscriminately saying that it would be impossible to stop flooding if residents did not stop dumping refuse at canals and rivers even if the government dredged them.
He said, “Our machines are dredging some water channels in Iwo now as I talk to you. We are not limiting this to Osogbo; we have already cleared waterways in some towns across the state while the exercise is still ongoing.
“We have dredged in Osogbo, Ilesa, Ila, Ile-Ife, Ifetedo, Modakeke, Iwo, Ede, Gbongan, Ikirun, Ikire, Okinni, Ifon, Ibokun, Owena and other prone areas in the state. Others are ongoing. No stone will be left unturned to ensure that we don’t experience loss of lives and property.
“We do not want a repeat of what happened in Osogbo some years back. We are clearing all the canals and waterways; we are working to ensure that social services do not suffer,” he noted.
The commissioner said the state government would adopt a whistle-blowing policy to stop residents from throwing their wastes by the roadside and at other unapproved sites.
He said environmental marshals are already posted out to clean major roads, adding that some would be engaged very soon to join the existing ones so that they could help to prevent those who might want to stay up late in the night to violate the environmental laws and regulations.
Some of the waterways that have been dredged in Iwo which were visited by our correspondent are Yemoja Pokuku, Kuti Aiba area, Mogaji area, Iwo Grammar School, Latiko and Odo Ori in Iwo.
In Imo State, officials in charge of management of disaster and floods have declared readiness to manage any impending situation.
The head, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), in charge of Imo and Abia states, Nnamdi Igwe, said they had begun sensitisation visits to communities in the supposed local government areas.
According to Igwe, the agency has scheduled meetings with the Nigerian Inland Waterways Agency (NIWA) to ensure the water is safe for transportation.
“We have sent teams to each local government area ahead of the flood but I think the scheduled council elections may have slowed down activities but I assure you that we are ready.
“Relief materials are ready though the flood is mostly caused by blocked drainages. We have reached out to schools, parks and community heads which are continuous. We are working with officials of the Imo State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) and we are prepared,” Igwe said.
On his part, the secretary in charge of the state SEMA, Mr Joseph Odoemena told LEADERSHIP Weekend that already, every community had been put on alert ahead of any flood, even as a relief centre in Egbuoma in the oguta local government area.
Odoemena said, “We have reached out to communities and we’re expecting them to send their reports especially Ohaji/Egbema, Isiala Mbano, Ehime Mbano and Oguta local governments.
“We are working with traditional rulers and president-generals of communities. The relief settlement at Egbuoma is ready for any displaced community.”
Also, the Imo State commissioner for Information and Orientation, Hon Declan Emelumba, said the state government had set up a committee to collaborate with the various communities likely to experience flooding this season.
He stressed that the committee is expected to advise the vulnerable communities to relocate to safer areas for safety.
Similarly, as part of efforts to mitigate the impact of flooding, the Cross River State government has embarked on evacuating sand from the drainages and water channels particularly in the state capital for easy flow of runoff waters.
So far, the state government has desilted water channels on Calabar Road by Watt popular market, Palm Street by Abatim Street off Main Avenue, Yellow Duke by Church of Jesus Christ Latter Day Saints Church, and Chamley Street close to Edgerly Road in Calabar South local government area of the state.
The director-general of the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), James Anam, said the state government is poised to avert flooding across the three senatorial districts of the state.
“We have done awareness campaigns to sensitise people on flooding mitigation.
“Two weeks ago, we flagged off a campaign in the south, went to the north and returned back to the central. We intend to go to Ikom to intensify our campaign against flooding. What we need to do as a state is to sensitise the people on how to mitigate flooding,” he said.
