YET ANOTHER FLOOD WARNING

The authorities should work hard to prevent another tragedy

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), last week, issued another grim warning that the volume of water in rivers across the country would soon rise and may lead to flooding and with its attendant consequences. As a pro-active measure to prevent what could be another human catastrophe, the agency has advised state governments to ensure the relocation of Nigerians living in flood-prone areas. We hope that this timely advice is heeded so that we do not relive another national tragedy.

According to the NEMA zonal coordinator for Abuja, Mr. Ishaya Chonoko, awareness campaign programme by stakeholders remains the cornerstone of flood-risk management in flood-prone and vulnerable communities. He added that ignorance of flood risks had encouraged people to live in flood plains. He said the agency has swung into action on different measures to reduce the impact of flood to the barest minimum on vulnerable communities since the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) made flood predictions for 2013.

We recall that NIMET had predicted that the rains expected this year may follow the pattern of last year, but with greater prospects of heavy floods and devastation, especially in parts of the North-West and the South-West. Cross River, Niger and Kwara states are also likely to experience prolonged downpour with prospects of flooding. Against the background that last year, NIMET gave early and detailed warning about possible flooding that went unheeded, it was expected that the relevant authorities would be more serious this year.

But there is nothing on ground to show any preparedness. Last year, some 27 states recorded unprecedented floods that led to loss of over 300 lives. The floods also displaced over two million people. Many rural dwellers lost their farmlands, livestock and other means of livelihood. Several local economies collapsed, while the interventions designed to ameliorate the suffering of those affected have made little or no impact. Meanwhile, the waters had only partially receded in many areas before the rains began this year.
We note with particular concern that the crisis of last year could have been avoided, or substantially ameliorated. It was not avoided because the relevant state governments did very little to help. Some made perfunctory announcements following NIMET’s warning and left it at that. In states where matters were taken beyond merely announcing the warning, the communities in the endangered areas were simply advised to evacuate, without any arrangements to relocate them.

More shameful is the shocking realisation that the places most adversely affected by the 2012 nationwide flooding all still bear the scars of the devastation. There is practically no record of meaningful progress with the orchestrated rehabilitation of affected communities and persons, as well as social infrastructure destroyed during the flood. More unfortunate was the fact that Nigerians were regaled with tales of federal government and private sector interventions, running into several billions of Naira without any meaningful impact on the victims.

The poor handling of the aftermath of the 2012 flooding is a national disgrace and should be investigated by the authorities. Beyond that, the federal and state governments should not handle the current NEMA and the earlier NIMET warnings with levity. They should update and advise themselves on vulnerable areas, what needs to be done and the reasonable time-frame for meaningful pre-emptive action.

The impact of last year’s flood on national food supply, environmental sustainability and much more are only beginning to show in subtle ways. For our country, two consecutive years of flooding and a lackadaisical attitude by the authorities may be difficult to manage, if nothing is done in good time.