A recent report by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) captioned, “Heavy Rainfall Forecast Bulletin No: 2023005”, warned Nigerians about the likelihood of flood, following the prospects of heavy rain in some states this year. Also speaking on the issue, the director – general, NiMet, Prof. Mansur Bakur, stated that flood is a natural event and with the increase in climate change activities, there will be more floods.
Similarly, the Director-General of Nigeria Hydrological Services Agencyn(NHSA), Clement Nze, disclosed that 178 local government areas (LGAs) in 32 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) were predisposed to experience severe flooding this year. It added that the level of flood between April and November 2023 is expected to be high in terms of impact on the population, livelihood, infrastructure and environment.
Since the flood epidemic reared its ugly head in the country, every rainy season has become one that fills Nigerians with dread and trepidation given the outcomes. We consider it disturbing that in the face of this natural challenge, the government at all levels seem helpless in finding a sustainable solution to it. Nigerians expect proactive measures that will provide a lasting remedy to the problem. Instead, what they get are platitudes and relief materials that offer no relief to victims after each devastating episode.
It needs to be emphasized that Nigeria is not new to flood and its attendant consequences since 2012 when the first of its kind happened. The country is still reeling from the impact of last year’s, 2022 floods which affected many parts of the country.
From the federal government’s data, the floods had displaced over 1.4 million people, killed over 603 people, and injured more than 2,400 persons, with about 82,035 houses damaged, and 332,327 hectares of land affected. During such crisis, prices of food stuff rise astronomically at double digit rate at times exceeding 23 per cent with 19 million people exposed to food insecurity and 14.7 million children at risk of malnutrition.
Experts explain that flooding is exacerbated in the country with the perennial release of water from the Lagdo Dam in neighbouring Cameroon. Excess water released from the dam cascades down River Benue and its tributaries, flooding communities in the states of Kogi, Benue as well as others in the northeast. When Lagdo Dam was constructed in 1982, there was an agreement with Nigerian authorities to build a second, twin dam in Adamawa State to contain the overflows. Known as the Dasin Hausa Dam project, it was to be situated in Dasin Village of the Fufore local government area, but was never built.
It is important to point out that the indiscriminate construction on natural flood plains and storm water paths together with poor drainage systems in many residential areas clog channels with waste. This has, in no small way, contributed to the challenge that perennial flooding pose. This is further aggravated by lax enforcement of environmental laws.
It is regrettable that while Nigeria typically experiences seasonal flooding, no concrete action has been taken by the government except to issue warnings to those living close to riverine areas to vacate their dwellings. Absence of alternative places of abode leave most Nigerians who live on flood plains no choice but to return to their residences once water levels become normal after the annual floods.
Following this scenario, the government finds it more convenient to issue blame after every episodic devastation while it shuns its own responsibility. Sad as it may sound, those living close to the river banks include 70 percent of the rural poor. Therefore, asking them to vacate their homes without providing them with an alternative is tantamount to rendering them homeless.
We call on the government to tackle this issue of flooding once and for all by providing a tangible and long-lasting solution to the challenge. This will entail putting in more efforts to enforce rules against building on drainages and water lines, just as it embarks on clearing drainages which are clogged with waste.
But while these perceptibly concrete measures are pursued, the agencies of government concerned should device effective ways of creating awareness and disseminating information especially among those in the rural communities on how to behave to contain the negative impact of flooding.
But most importantly, in our considered opinion, it is high time the government embarked on building a dam as agreed in principle with the Cameroonian government to absorb some of the water overrunning the banks.
Considering the capital expenditure of a project of this nature and with less than 20 days to the exit of this current administration, the incoming administration should, as a matter of priority, keep this in view, as this will not only save lives but also prevent the negative impact on other aspects of the economy.
