The Niger State government has called on riverine communities, particularly the flood-prone areas in the state to relocate to higher plains so as to avoid a repeat of last year’s flooding experience.
It said the communities should be cautious and pay attention to the rising water levels in their areas.
The government made the call in a statement issued on Wednesday by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mary Noel Berje.
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According to the statement, the call is coming on the heels of the impending flood warning by the National Emergency Management Agency, (NEMA) Nigeria Hydrological Service Agency (NIHSA) and the Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NiMET) which predicted that many LGAs in the state, along with other states, fall within the highly probable flood risk areas for 2020.
Noel Berje recalled that NEMA had warned that there would be more rains in the coming days and people should be informed to evacuate from the flood-prone areas due to high water levels to prevent loss of lives and property.
She said “We are particularly worried about the perennial flooding and the fatality that comes with it. The state government is doing everything possible to mitigate the hardship suffered by our people as a result of the annual natural disaster”.
The statement also advised people in the urban areas against building on flood plains and indiscriminate dumping of refuse in drainages, culverts, and other waterways as a proactive measure to curb the flood menace.
Furthermore, the governor’s spokeswoman also called on people living in urban areas in the state to clean culverts and drainages around their vicinities to avoid urban flooding.
She said already, the government has started early flood warning public information and enlightenment campaigns to ensure that the riverine communities are adequately informed to prepare for and prevent eventual consequences of the flood.
She also conveyed the directive of the government to the State Environmental Protection Agency (NISEPA) and the Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA) to be adequately prepared for the eventuality.