Flood warning: What state, local governments should do to mitigate losses

Following the warning that no fewer than 28 states are likely to experience severe flooding this year, state governments have been advised on what they should do to mitigate losses.

It will be recalled that last Thursday, the Minister of Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu made a public presentation of the 2021 Annual Flood Outlook (AFO) of the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) in Abuja.

He said that there were impending floods in Abia, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, FCT, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano and Kebbi.

Others are Kwara, Lagos, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, Oyo, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba and Zamfara.

“In summary, the 2021 AFO forecast indicates that 302 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in 36 states including the FCT will fall within the moderate probable flood risk areas.

“It is expected from the forecast that 121 LGAs in 28 states will fall within the highly probable risk areas.

“The states surrounding Rivers Niger and Benue are, without doubt, going to experience severe flooding.

“Floods come with attendant health risks through the contamination of potable water sources. The 2021 flooding will be exacerbated by the continuing ravages of the COVID-19 pandemic,” he said.

To mitigate the negative effects the minister advised that state and local governments should take necessary steps such as clearing of waterways and flood paths to contain floods.

The ministry on its part, according to Adamu, is controlling water flow in streams through construction of dams, reservoirs, artificial lakes and rivers, to reduce possible destruction levels.

The Director General of the NIHSA, Mr Clement Nze, also emphasised the need for state and local governments to return rivers to their natural courses and prevent indiscriminate encroachment on waterways.

He also said that town planning codes in the country should be enforced to prevent construction of houses on drainages.

Nze said, “We are calling on states to relocate people that live in waterways and flood plains.

“They should desilt their rivers, drainage and water channels. Removal of refuse, weeds and water hyacinth is very important.”

He noted that the refusal of some states to heed early warnings about floods led to the devastating effects being recorded annually in parts of the country.

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