The Federal government, through the Ministry of water resources and Sanitation, has warned of the likelihood of flooding in Niger and Benue rivers in the coming weeks.
The Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Joseph Utsev, while speaking on Friday disclosed that the potential flood is due to the expectant of rains in the heavy flow of water from the niger and Benue river which will flow toward the Niger Delta region.
The minister who spoke on Friday in the nation’s capital during a press briefing to give an update about the heavy flood incident which took place in Maiduguri, Borno State, advised residents to be vigilant in the coming weeks in order to address every incident of flooding in the southern part of the country.
The minister noted that the recent flood incident, which happened in Maiduguri and Jere areas of Borno State, was caused by the overflow of water from the Alau Dam. The Alau Damis is located about 10 kilometres from Maiduguri city centre. The dam, he said, had witnessed the heavy discharge of water from the Ngadda River, a major branch of the River Yedzara.
The minister pointed to the 2024 Annual Flood Outlook publication by the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency; the outlook highlighted that some areas in the country, which are high, moderate, and low flood risk areas, are affected by flooding. Borno, Bauchi, Jigawa, Taraba, Yobe, Benue, Gombe, and many other states were listed among the 31 states considered high flood-risk areas, according to the agency.
The minister noted that he had visited the state with Bello Goronyo and other heads of agencies and parastatals in the ministry to stand with the state during this difficult time. The minister also disclosed that during his visit, he was able to assess the extent of damage to the area and the dam, which was caused by the recent event.
The minister advised that as the country is presently dealing with the tragic incident which has happened in Borno, Yobe, Jigawa, Bauchi, and other states affected by flooding, it was important to draw the attention of the Nigerians who are living in either state of the federation of potential flood incident which may occur in through the major rivers in Rivers Niger and Benue, as well as some of their influents.
The minister disclosed that the current heavy flow, which has been happening in the areas in the past weeks and days, has shown an increase in the water level, which has nar red alerts in the rivers. The warning, according to him, has shown that a large volume of water will be flowing from the rivers to the Niger Delta region.
The minister noted that there was a need for vigilance and improvement in the level of preparedness by the residents of the state mentioned.
The minister noted that in the past, the Presidential Committee on the Development of a Strategic Plan for Preventing Flood Disasters in Nigeria, which was established with the Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation as the Chair of its Steering Committee as submitted its reports, had recommended ten strategic areas in order to address the current flood situation that is affecting the country that has been an annual occurrence.
The minister also disclosed that the committee had recommended relevant interventions that consider required activities before, during, and after flooding periods.
The minister noted that the listed interventions include responsible agencies, expected outcomes, timelines, and indicative costs. He disclosed that the president, as part of the recommendations, had signed the release of the sum of ₦108 billion for all 36 states to tackle perennial flooding in the country.
He concluded by urging the state governments at the sub-national level and stakeholders to heed the flood warning information from the Ministry and take proactive measures to prevent future flooding. He further charged them to activate response measures to measures to alleviate the suffering of citizens affected by floods.
