Following the torrential downpour being experienced in some parts of the country, the Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Utsev has alerted the state governments on the urgent need to take precautionary measures to avert the ugly flooding menace of the past years.
Prof. Utsev gave the advice while briefing Newsmen on the update of the flood situation across the country on Thursday in Abuja.
He highlighted the measures to include, “educating citizens to imbibe attitudinal change towards warnings for flood prevention by Government Agencies and desist from unethical traditional culture and beliefs.
“Clearing of blocked drainage systems and canals, and Relocation of people living along the water-ways and those that are having socio-economic activities on the flood plains, by the Federal, State and Local Governments.
“Consideration for channelization/training of major rivers in the country. States and Local Governments are encouraged to desilt river channels and canals and to construct/create buffers (or detention basins) in their respective constituencies to collect runoff waters.
“Modification of settlements to withstand floods by putting up flood barriers, and Construction of dykes, flood-walls, buffer dams, detention basins and water retaining structures.
“Effective and efficient operational procedure for dams and reservoirs and maintenance of other hydraulic and water infrastructure across the country”.
The Minister who disclosed that some States have started experiencing varying levels of flooding and its associated disasters as early as April this year, further revealed so far, more than ten (10) States of the Federation and the FCT have experienced one degree of flooding or the other with several casualties recorded including displacement of people and loss of property.
“For example, the torrential downpour in the early hours of 24th June, 2024 in the FCT resulted in flooding of Trade More Estate in Lugbe where 2 deaths were reported and several houses submerged. AMAC, Kuje, Gwagwalada, Bwari, Kwali LGAs have also been flooded.
“Other affected States and LGAs are: Anambra (Onitsha North), Edo (Benin), Benue (Makurdi), Kwara (Oke-Ero, Moro), Lagos (Agege, Alimosho, Ikorodu, Lagos Island, Ikeja, Eti-Osa), Ogun (Ijebu-Ode), Osun (Oriade), Nasarawa (Doma), Taraba (Takum, Sarduna), Yobe”, he said.
Prof. Utsev said, as at today, both Kainji and Jebba Dams on River Niger are still impounding water into their reservoirs, even Shiroro Dam on river Kaduna is equally impounding water, noting that no water has yet been released from any of the Dams within and outside Nigeria.
However, he disclosed that River Flooding is expected beginning from this month (July 2024), therefore, States like Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Adamawa, Benue, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Jigawa, Kogi, Kebbi, Kaduna, Niger, Nasarawa, Ondo, Ogun, Rivers, Taraba and the FCT would likely be impacted as predicted.
He warned that as rainfall increases both in frequency and intensity, particularly in the southern part of the country, it would also increase the level of flooding and may worsen the ravaging cholera outbreak.
On international flow situation, he said, the flow in Kainji and Jebba reservoirs, River Niger, Lokoja, Kogi (confluence of Rivers Niger and Benue), River Benue Sub-Basin, Wuroboki in Adamawa are all within normal level.
Meanwhile, he said, the Ministry would “keep monitoring the development on this flank and put a close tab on other monitoring stations as we are approaching the critical months”.
Recall that the 2024 Annual Flood Outlook (AFO) by the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA), an agency under the Ministry, shows that 148 LGAs in 31 states fall within the High Flood Risk while 249 LGAs fall within the Moderate Flood Risk Areas with the remaining 377 LGAs falling within the Low Flood Risk Areas.
The high flood risk states as predicted are Adamawa, Akwa-Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross-River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe, Zamfara and the FCT.
Speaking on the 2023 Presidential Committee Report on flooding, the Minister of State for Water Resources, Rt. Hon. Muhammad Goronyo said, the report has been approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC), and is set for strategic implementation by next week.
On his part, the Director-General, NIHSA, Engr. Clement Nze in the month of April, the public was alerted of the possible impending flood, adding that the states were adequately notified, stakeholders meeting was convened, and measures were reeled out for them to follow.
He, however, noted that the agency’s responsibility is that of forecasting and advisory, and does not include policing to ensure compliance.
