From Lagos
As Nigerians, especially those living close to river side have been warned of likelihood of flood this year,the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), has stressed the need for effective use of water from various dams in the country.
This, the agency said, would reduce constant flooding and serve as a boost to food production.
Muhammadu Mohammed, the Director-General of NEMA, made the call during a Stakeholders Consultative Meeting on 2020 Flood Prevention, Mitigation, Preparedness and Humanitarian Services in Lagos.
He was represented by the Director Planning, Research and Forecasts of NEMA, Mr Kayode Fagbemi at the occasion.
The director-general said his call became imperative because efforts by the agency in appealing to dam managers to release water before the rain had proved abortive.
He said that NEMA had received alert from Ogun/Osu Dam managements, that the dam was full and they would start releasing million of cubic litres to Lagos and Ogun from July till November.
Mohammed said even when the dam managements gave warning of flood,it came late realising the fact that the rains had set in the country.
According to him, it is not too late, adding that the management of the dams can still convert the use of the water from dams for irrigation to boost food production and enhance food security in the country.
He urged the House of Representatives Committee on Disaster and Emergency to support the management of dams to ensure the water from dams is utilised, adequately, to improve food production and reduce flooding.
Mohammed also advised the Committee to call all the dam managers and other stakeholders for brain storming in providing lasting solutions to the flood challenges.
He said the need for such event could not be over emphasised since most of the dams in the country had been identified as contributory factor to flooding in Nigeria.
The Lagos Commissioner for Environment, Mr Tunji Bello, said the Nigeria Meteorological Service (NiMet) forecast early this year predicted that Lagos State would experience a rainy season of 240-270 days of rainfall this year.
He said though that the state had gone through June, July and in August, experience showed that the state might expect more rainfall in September.
Bello, who was represented by a Director from the Ministry, Mrs Lanke Taiwo, identified heavy rainfall as responsible factor for flood witnessed in Ogun, Kwara, Rivers and Lagos states.
The commissioner said while Ogun, Rivers and Kwara states experienced urban and river flooding from flood, Lagos was at the receiving end due to peculiarities of its location.
Bello disclosed that a total of 18 million cubic litres would be released in September and 23 million cubic litres would in October, being the peak.
The commissioner said that statistics released by authorities of Oyan Dam indicated that residents of Kosofe, Ajegunle, Owode Onirin, Isheri North, Agboyi Ketu, Giliti should be at alert whenever it rains and whenever water is released by the dam.
Bello stated that the state government had provided additional pumping stations in some low lying areas with risks of high intensity rains, in readiness for the heavy rainfall predicted in September.
Contributing, the Head of the Federal Fire Service (FFS), Joshua Yauj, said the Service had been supporting Lagos State Government in disaster management and would relent in collaborating with other sister agencies in the country.
The Assistant Chief Fire Officer of the Lagos State Fire Service, Mr Olukotun Odunayo, said that flash flooding was caused by human error due to improper management of waste disposal.
The representative of Lagos State Water Authority (LASWA), Assistant Head of Operations, Mr Ibrahim Oladayo, said that the Authority had ensured the use of life jackets on ferry operators as well and passengers.
A correspondent of The Reporters,reports that other stakeholders in environmental management, at the meeting, expressed their readiness to mitigate flood related challenges, in and outside Lagos state, among others efforts.