Following the opening of the Lagdo dam by the Cameroonian authorities, the federal government has constituted a high-level committee led by the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr. Betta Edu, to proffer solutions to avert flooding and its consequences.
The minister made this known during a press conference held by the committee members immediately after the maiden edition of the stakeholder’s meeting on the Lagdo dam, yesterday in Abuja.
She said the meeting was at the instance of President Bola Tinubu, following her presentation at the maiden Federal Executive Council, (FEC), meeting, on Monday.
Edu explained that the federal government is interested in the prevention, mitigation and proffering solutions to flooding and its consequences hence the move to avert any negative consequences.
“Everyone is part of the engagement and sensitisation efforts of the federal government.
“Persons in the affected areas of the flood are enjoined to move to high lands for safety and state governors are to stand up to their responsibilities on the evacuation of persons in such areas to protect lives and properties.”
She noted that some of the measures taken to avert flooding are for state governors and communities to ensure that drainages are cleaned and obstructions to waterways are quickly removed across the country.
Other measures include sensitisation to begin from the Federal, States, Local Government Areas and Communities.
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According to Edu,federal government will be working with Ministries, Departments and Agencies, (MDA’s), states and Local governments to ensure that humanitarian services are provided as well as foods and non-food items, health and livelihood for recovery, reintegration and resettlement for the affected persons.
Minister of environment, Dr. Ishaq Salako, adds that Flood Early Warning System domiciled in his ministry, is on and working and issuing hourly warning alerts of floods not only on river Benue but most parts of the country including River Niger.
This he said, was aim at warning people and to let them know the level of water in their areas and vulnerability to flood.
He stated that a platform has been created where environment correspondents are added and they can receive hourly alerts directly without waiting on Ministry’s officials.
Also, the minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Joseph Utsev, said the media is a critical stakeholder in advocating flood issues.
“The Media is an important partner in the struggle and encouraged them to continue the good work they are doing.”
“It is the media that disseminate the message of preventing and mitigating floods and as a government under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, we are finding solutions of the flooding to reduce the suffering of people, loss of lives and properties.”
On his part, Minister of State for Water Resources and Sanitation, Bello Goronyo, called on all Nigerians to support government to ensure that everybody in the danger zone has vacated the areas and urged states to ensure that such people are evacuated immediately to preserve lives and properties.
Other members of the committee include Ministers off Foreign Affairs, Health and Social Welfare, Interior, Nigerian Immigration Service, Nigeria Police Force, NSCDC, NEMA, NIMET, NIHSA, Fire Service, among others.
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