The Nigerian Environmental Society (NES) on Tuesday joined other well-meaning individuals and organizations to express concern over the recent episodes of flooding that affected
settlements, farmlands, businesses and lives across Lokoja, Kawaje, Isoko, Patani,
Southern Ijaw and other parts of the country.
The body disclosed in a statement released and made available to Newsclickng.com by the Chairman Caretaker Committee/Interim National President, Victor Imevbore, on Tuesday.
According to him, this year, more than 600 persons are reported to have died and over 1.3 million displaced. Flooding also affected some key transportation routes in the country causing untold hardship and significantly affecting
socio economic activities.
“Nigerian Government to be alive to its responsibility to protect its citizens. It is time to develop and implement a National Flooding Mitigation and Response Master Plan”
“Our heartfelt condolences go to families who lost loved ones or are still searching for
missing persons and sympathies to persons and communities who lost homes,
farmlands and businesses.”
At times like this, we can only pray for strength and fortitude to deal with these unpleasant outcomes.
No doubt in monetary terms, losses arising from damage to houses, farms and businesses, run into billions of Naira. In the face of the attendant multidimensional poverty across almost 50% of our population, Nigeria’s vulnerability to changing
climate patterns could be stark.
While some parts of the country may be experiencing it for the first time, many areas
affected this year have been flooded more than once in the past.
NES is therefore particularly concerned that this annual flooding calamity has remained unchecked and unplanned for over the years.
More worrisome is our apparent lack of preparedness to mitigate and adapt to climate change, a well-recognized global risk.
The question on everyone’s lips now is what can be done to stop or minimize the annual devastation occasioned by flooding?
A good place to start will be to examine
our state of knowledge pertaining to the causes, effects and areal extent of flooding in Nigeria.
For instance, how well do we understand our hydrology, particularly of the main Rivers, Niger and Benue and how this has changed over the years? It is well known that the since 1958 or thereabout when the hydrology of the R. Niger and its tributaries in Nigeria, and the Niger Delta was studied by a Dutch firm, there hasn’t
been any comprehensive study of this extensive drainage system.
Moreover, our population has significantly increased over the years and development
activities including those possibly altering or interfering with natural hydrology and
river hydraulics have progressed in various areas of the country.
To what extent have these contributed to flooding?
Available data also shows that while the annual rainfall index across the country may be fairly unchanged over the past 20 years, some data
suggests that the North may be experiencing less rain while the converse is the case southern Nigeria in addition to episodic storm events, which are clear indications of changing weather patterns.
Silted channels and the absence of engineering solutions to address excess water from upstream dams such as the Lagdo Dam on R. Benue in Cameroon are also areas of concern.
Nigeria’s water resources management master
plan (2013) sponsored by Japan International Corporation Agency (JICA), identified the
need for flood prediction and management systems as a Strategic Issue, which is yet
to be implemented.
NES calls on the Nigerian Government to be alive to its responsibility to protect its citizens. It is time to develop and implement a National Flooding Mitigation and Response Master Plan.
Such a plan must incorporate reliable knowledge of our hydrology systems, mapping of flood prone areas, continuous water gauging, traditional practices, well-informed engineering solutions including early warning systems, deepening of the river channels and a mechanism for periodic updates of the plan.
Flood mitigation projects must, however, be subject to appropriate environmental impact assessments leading to the implementation of measures to minimize other associated adverse impacts.
Since it is not always possible to predict flooding in time to avert it, rather than wait for flooding events to occur before developing response plans, robust flooding response plans need to be maintained by the National Emergency Management
Agencies and triggered when required. To be effective, such plans must incorporate
flood maps, emergency command procedures, strategically located response facilities,
shelters, and relief stockpiles such as food and medical aid. Where engineering
solutions are unable to mitigate impacts to settlements and/or developments in worst
flood prone areas, plans should be put in place to resettle those affected.
Timely, culturally appropriate and efficient public awareness campaigns on causes and
measures to minimize flooding impacts also need to be pursued. This may be a good
time to examine our existing laws and if considered necessary, enact legislation to
establish a flood control commission.
The recent flooding events echo the failure of governance and should be a wakeup
call to all State Governments on the need to ensure that town planning developments
and building approvals adequately address drainage especially in low lying areas and
wetlands, while blocked drains should be cleared forthwith and regularly. Where
drainages are not in place, efforts to construct them should commence immediately.
