Environment
Lagdo Dam Not Entirely Responsible For 2022 Flood -NEMA
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has said the Lagdo Dam in Cameroon was not entirely responsible for the flooding that ravaged many parts of Nigeria in 2022.
The Agency said most of the water that caused flooding was not from the Lagdo Dam, adding that the contribution from the dam to Nigeria was only in some parts where the water from the river passed.
NEMA spokesman Manzo Ezekiel disclosed during a Twitter Space on the theme: ‘Flooding: Analysing Nigerian Government Preparedness’, organised by The ICIR.
Ezekiel said there was serious flooding in Lagos and Jigawa where Lagdo water did not flow through, adding that the heavy rainfall in 2022 was the major cause.
He said: “The flood that happened last year did not happen only along the River Benue belt. We have a flood that happened somewhere in Jigawa which is not lying along the Benue. So we can’t blame the flood of last year entirely on the release of water from Lagdo Dam.
“By the way, in the past, almost every year the Lagdo Dam authority has been releasing excess water and it’s in our interest that they release the excess water because if the dam in Lagdo should break the devastating effect down the river will be worse than the thing we have witnessed. We also have floods that happened in parts of the country like Lagos too and not because of Lagdo.,,
Ezekiel added that NEMA is currently working to mitigate the risk effect of flood this year based on the predictions that were released by the Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NiMet) and Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NHSA).
“To manage the flood, it has to be on a continual basis because certain things that you do this year to avert or mitigate the occurrence of flood this year if done next year, it may aggravate the occurrence of flood next year
“So the forecasts that we are working with this year are based on the predictions that were released by NiMet and the annual flood outlook that was issued by the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency. These are the two agencies of government with the mandate of forecasting releasing vital information concerning the rain pattern and the water content of the soil for the year.”
He also reiterated that Nigeria could witness a worse incident of flood in some parts of of the country this year as NiMet already forecasted average and above rainfall in some states.
“So what we witnessed last year could be worse because in some parts of the country, it has been forecasted that they will witness average and above average rainfall. I am talking about places like coastal areas particularly around Rivers, Bayelsa, Akwa ibom, Delta and Cross River.
“The amount of expected rainfall on this side of the country is going to be as high as 2,700mm or even above and this is the amount of rainfall that some parts of the country record over a period of three years. Now we are expecting this amount of rainfall in just one year along these coastal areas.”
Ezekiel added that people living around places where high rainfall has been forecasted must be aware and begin to plan ahead to avoid trouble.
He added that: “We have other parts of the country that have been forecasted to have average and below rainfall. I am talking about states like Yobe, Jigawa, Kano, Bauchi, Kaduna and the FCT.”
The ICIR reported that in 2022, Nigeria experienced the worst flooding in over a decade.
The country has been recording seasonal flooding, which occurs during the rainy season that starts in April and runs till October, but in some years, continues until the end of November.
Apart from the reported deaths, more than 3.3 million persons are estimated to have been affected nationwide, and 1,427,370 persons displaced.
According to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), floods impacted 35 states in Nigeria. The highest numbers of affected individuals were recorded in Anambra, Jigawa, and Bayelsa states.
In Bayelsa State specifically, the government reported that approximately 700,000 individuals were displaced from 300 communities and villages across five out of eight local government areas due to flooding caused by heavy rainfall.
The National Orientation Agency (NOA) on Thursday, launched an awareness campaign, aimed at educating residents on the increasing impact of climate change.
The campaign also seeks to enlighten residents on the urgent need for personal and community protection measures.
During the launch in Uyo on Thursday, the Akwa Ibom Director of NOA, Mr Mkpoutom Mkpoutom, said that the campaign aims at enlightening residents, about the changes in weather patterns.
He said that this includes unpredictable rise in temperatures, and how these changes threaten public health across the state.
Mkpoutom noted that the current weather was not harmattan, but an extreme form of air pollution, which is harmful to health as it could cause oxidative stress which affects body balance.
“Our environment is changing rapidly, and the effects are evident in the disruptions faced by our communities.
“It is paramount that every citizen of Akwa Ibom understands these changes and take necessary steps to protect themselves, their families, and their livelihoods,” he said.
He appealed to citizens to take the following precautions which include wearing of nose mask, drinking sufficient water, covering of food and water to keep away dust, washing fruits thoroughly before eating, among others.
He directed all NOA structures within the state to engage with local communities through town hall meetings and collaboration.
He also urged engagement with schools and community leaders, to disseminate vital information on early warning signs, as well as safety protocols during extreme weather conditions.
The Chairman of Epe Local Government Area of Lagos State, Ms Surah Animashaun, has urged traders of Aiyetoro and Oluwo fish markets to consistently ensure a hygienic trading environment.
She urged the traders to maintain cleanliness and observe proper environmental sanitation in the markets.
Animashaun said this during a visit to some of the market areas in Epe on Saturday.
She said that clean markets were critical to public health.According to her, poor sanitation could lead to the outbreak of communicable diseases, especially in fish markets, where waste management must be handled with extra care.
The council chairman urged traders to dispose of refuse appropriately, avoid indiscriminate dumping of waste, and ensure regular cleaning of stalls and surroundings
She noted that environmental hygiene is a collective responsibility, adding that everyone should be involved in this development.
Animashaun also warned that the local government would not hesitate to enforce existing environmental laws, including sanctions against defaulters.
She assured traders of the council’s commitment to providing adequate waste disposal facilities and regular monitoring to sustain a clean and healthy market environment.
The council boss also urged traders to desist from selling by the roadside, so as to avoid accidents, noting that several motor accidents had occurred along the Aiyetoro market area.
“We, therefore, urge traders to stop selling on the roadside,” she said.
President, Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), Mrs Margaret Oguntala, has inaugurated the construction of 18 units residential terrace in highbrow Alausa area of Lagos toward bridging the nation’s shelter gap.
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