The Nation Newspaper

Tag: flood

  • 85 erosion, flood projects to be inaugurated in December — Minister

    The Minister of Environment, Mrs Hadiza Malafia, has said that no fewer than 83 flood and erosion projects will be ready for inauguration by December.

    Mailafia said this, while making a presentation to the PDP National Working Committee on the Transformation Agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan in the environment sector.

    She said that the ministry had planned to execute more than 147 projects, but lacked the funds to implement them.

    The minister said that 39 capital projects were executed in 2011, while 64 capital projects were executed nationwide between January and June this year.

    She said that 15 projects located in South-East geo-political zone were at between 45 and 100 per cent completion.

    Mailafia said, ”Three of those projects located at Nekede, Ojoto and St. Kizito are also ready for commissioning. “We have installed 15 Community-based Flood Early Warning System (FEWS) and 4 automated FEWS nationwide.

    ”We increased the installation Web-based FEWS from 307 to 402 across the country to inform Nigerians on flood reports.”

    On desertification control and forest management, Mailafia said that the ministry had, in June, inaugurated the Great Green Wall (GGW) programme in Kebbi to combat desertification.

    She said that the programme would be implemented simultaneously in 11 front line states of Adamawa, Bauchi, Gombe, Kebbi, Sokoto, Zamfara, Katsina, Kano, Jigawa, Yobe and Borno.

    The minister said that the programme would cover 43 local government areas in the 11 frontline states, adding that 225,000 hectares of lands would be rehabilitated.

    She said, ”Resources have been approved for the implementation and participating states, local councils and communities have been identified.

    ”We have started planting in Bachaka, Arewa Local government Area of Kebbi and Mr President will flag-off the programme later this year.”

    Mailafia, however, expressed regrets about the attitude of some Nigerians on issues of sanitation, describing the situation as worrisome.

    She said the Federal Government had formulated good environmental policies to transform the environment, but that Nigerians had no respect for those rules and regulations.

    According to her, the ministry has established some integrated waste management facilities to ensure cleanliness.

    Mailafia further said that the ministry had identified and implemented various programmes to build Nigerians’ resilience to the impacts of Climate Change.

    In his remarks, the National Chairman of PDP, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, commended Mailafia for transforming the environment sector.

    Tukur said the manifesto of the party included good environmental programmes aimed at sustaining the environment; secure healthy living and addressing environmental challenges.

    He urged the minister to ensure effective implementation of environmental policies and regulations.

    ”We encourage you to make effective use of the environmental health officers by going to inspect rural communities, all these will make people to imbibe good sanitation and hygiene practices,” he said.

     

     

     

     

  • Where is the flood money?

    Soon, it would be exactly one year the unprecedented flood overran many communities located on the banks of rivers Niger and Benue, down to the delta region, destroying houses, farmlands, livestock and fish ponds.

    The surging flood forced most residents of these areas to abandon their ancestral homesteads and other properties to seek refuge on higher grounds where rattled state governments had hurriedly set up relief camps for those who had no where to go. The fortunate ones who have children and benevolent relatives in the cities had a good excuse to proceed on compulsory vacations.

    Though the National Emergency Management Agency exists, they initially didn’t know how to deal with the peculiar situation for obvious reason. They’ve never been confronted with a natural disaster of that magnitude. All they had contended with in the past were plane crashes and collapsed buildings. So, it took quite some time for government and its agencies to come to terms with how to respond to the strange ravaging flood.

    Finally, in a morning televised broadcast on Tuesday, October 9, 2012, President Goodluck Jonathan announced the release of N17.6bn to assist states and communities affected by the flood. Of this amount, N13.3bn was allocated to states and N4.3bn went to relevant federal government agencies.

    The money was appropriated according to the severity of the impact of the flood on the states and their communities. The most affected states (in category A) like Kogi, Anambra, Delta, Bayelsa and Benue got N500m each. Others in categories B, C, and D were given N400m, N300m and N250m respectively.

    Months after the disbursement of this fund, the beneficiary state governments hosting affected communities that are in dire need of relief and rehabilitation were still prevaricating as to how the funds should be deployed until the rumour mill came alive with insinuations that the funds might have been misappropriated by politicians.

    In my own Anambra State, there were whispers that the money had either been fixed in a particular bank of the government to yield interest or simply set aside for the impending gubernatorial war. This perhaps, prompted the Secretary to the State Government, (SSG) Oseloka Obaze to issue a media statement assuring the people that the money is intact. And that the money would only be spent after the board of trustees would have reviewed and agreed on the target sector needs. Shortly after this pronouncement, the government released a consignment of food items comprising of bags of maize, rice and garri to the affected communities. The SSG was later quoted as saying that these items cost N128m. Subsequently, a round of cash was distributed. Atani, the headquarter of Ogbaru local government area of Anambra State got N10m and Osamala got N10m, while other smaller communities got less depending on their sizes. Money was equally distributed around other affected local government areas in the state. When the N10m was shared in Atani, for example, some families got N2,000, some got N1,000 and those living in urban areas and cities but whose properties were equally affected got nothing for the simple reason that the money could not go round.

    The question that many of us have continued to ask is: in what way would this pittance bring about the much vaunted ‘relief’ and ‘rehabilitation’ to the flood affected communities? Is this all the board of trustees and government relief strategists could think up? People’s houses have been damaged; their farmlands decimated; their livestock gone. Instead of government to come up with a resourceful economic rehabilitation program that will help the hardworking people rebuild their lives, it is handing down money to them as if they are beggars. Now that the government has opted for this path, one may be tempted ask what has happened to the rest of the money. Or has the N500m been exhausted?

    The story is not too different in Delta State where affected communities have formally petitioned the state House of Assembly and EFCC to investigate the management of the flood relief money. They allege that instead of openly utilizing the fund, government is selectively giving out N2,000 – N3,000 to flood victims. But instead of addressing the content of the allegation, the Commissioner for Environment, Frank Umare reportedly said that Delta State requires N20bn to deal with flood victims and that N500m is not enough.

    Is the money not being enough an excuse for not managing it transparently?

    Some groups in Kogi State have also accused their government of distributing N3000 to flood victims. This compelled a rebuttal from Alhaji Yabagi Bologi, Commissioner for Information who explained that a total of N139,550,000 was distributed to the affected local government areas and N81,376,646.55 was ploughed into the rehabilitation and reconstruction of schools used as relief camps. What a curious appropriation. Is the commissioner implying that if the federal government did not provide the relief fund, the dilapidated schools wouldn’t have been repaired? That notwithstanding; so what happened to the balance?

    The case in Adamawa state is perhaps the most pathetic. According to NAN’s report which was widely replicated in most newspapers, it was alleged that flood victims were given various paltry sums of money that ranged from N200, N240 to N250. According to Moses Ginam and Francis Emmanuel that spoke to NAN’s correspondent, Mbula chiefdom, one of the worse hit communities in Adamawa state, rejected the 1.8m purportedly allocated to them by the government because it would amount to N200 per person after they would have shared it.

    This appears to be the trend in most states prompting Senator Claver Ikisikpo, chairman, Senate Committee on Special Duties to declare that the flood relief fund has been clearly mismanaged.

    It would seem as if the flood victims are unlucky on all fronts. Apart from the obvious lack of transparency on the part of the states in managing the fund, the Dangote/Agbakoba Flood Relief and Rehabilitation Committee are having difficulty in recovering donations made at the special public fund-raising they held shortly after they were constituted to support federal government effort in rehabilitating flood victims. Angered by the non-redemption of the pledges made by these seeming scam donors, the committee threatened to publish their names except they take concrete steps to redeem them. But if the aim of the threat is to name and shame these questionable donors and so called philanthropists, the Dangote/Agbakoba Committee may have to think again as a good number of them are shameless. They might have made the bogus pledges with their eyes on some flood contracts they could get. And as soon as it wasn’t forthcoming, the flood victims may jolly well go to hell (where they would stay dry). So, for all they care, the committee can broadcast their names on CNN!

    Once again, I implore the Dangote/Agbakoba committee to come up with their own strategy on how to deploy the funds they have raised in order to guarantee some level of transparency and best corporate practices which is grossly lacking in the states disbursements.

    Since the flood relief fund which the states are spending (or have spent) came from the federal government, it is only appropriate that the federal legislative organs or the relevant federal government institution carry out an inquisition on how the flood money has been spent by the states.

    Another rainy season is already here and the meteorological agency has repeatedly warned that this year’s flood could be more devastating, yet the money released to help victims attenuate the impact has been hardly accounted for. What a shame!

    • Nwosu writes from Lagos

     

  • Panic as Cameroon releases more water from dam

    Panic as Cameroon releases more water from dam

    Panic gripped residents of Makurdi, Guma, Agatu, Gwer West and other areas affected by last year’s flooding in Benue State as the state government announced plans by Cameroonian authorities to start releasing water from Ladgo Dam.

    The Executive Secretary of the state Emergency Agency (SEMA), Mr Adikpo Agbatse, had announced on the state radio station early Friday that the Cameroonian authorities would release  water from the dam in the morning  and enjoined the people in vulnerable areas to be on alert, particularly, when the volume of water on River Benue begin to rise.

    The Nation, which went round vulnerable areas in the capital city saw as people expressed fear and called on the state government to immediately provide comfortable place for them.

    Madam Caroline, who lives at new garage area, one of the worst hit last year’s flood told our correspondent that the family is already planning to relocate their children to their place in the eastern part of the country to avoid the ugly experience of last year.

    According to her, “someone called my husband this morning and informed him of the radio announcement of the repeat of the flood incident anytime from now. Immediately we heard this, we started thinking of sending our children to the village to prevent them from experiencing the ugly incident of last year where we were crammed in a room that look like cubicle when the flood sacked us from here.”

    Also, Mr. James Atser , who lives along Gboko Road, one of the areas affected by last year’s flood, said that there was little he could do since he could not remove his house from the area but called on state government to make available a better place for people who may likely be displaced by the flood.

  • Flood sacks Abakaliki

    Residents of Abakaliki, Ebonyi State capital woke up on Thursday to flooding of some parts of the city following heavy overnight downpour.

    The flood which affected both residential and commercial buildings is believed to have been caused by the overflowing of the Iyiudele and Iyiokwu rivers.

    Our reporter who went round the city observed that one of the biggest hotels in the city, Salt Lake was affected by the flood as its premises and club house were flooded.

    Hope High International Schools located along Onwe Road Abakaliki and G-spot, a popular relaxation centre adjacent the school, both owned by wife of the first civilian governor of the state, Mrs Eunice Ukamaka Egwu were also affected.

    The management of the school was also forced to close down the school temporarily as parents and their children were seen going back home with them following the management’s decision.

    Members of Christ Embassy and House on the Rock Church which makes use of the multipurpose halls inside the relaxation centre spot were seen literarily swimming through the flood water to get to the church to try and salvage some of their equipments.

    Also, parts of the international market being built by the state government were also flooded.

    Some residents of the city blamed the flooding to blocking of the canal being constructed by the federal ministry of environment to channel excess water from the two rivers.

    Ebonyi State Commissioner for Environment, Engr. Paul Okorie, who described the situation as unfortunate blamed the flooding on inability of the contractors to complete the channelization contract.

     

     

     

  • Flood: Plateau residents refuse to leave water ways

    The Plateau state government has raised the alarm over the refusal of some residents to flee water ways to minimise the effect of predicted flood in the state this year.

    The deputy governor, Ambassador Ignatius Longjan, who is also the Chairman Plateau flood relief management committee, said residents in the communities affected by last year’s flood have refused the advice to leave the water ways.

    The refusal, Longjan said might lead to a repeat of last year’s disaster.

    Speaking at a media forum over the weekend, the deputy governor said: “The alarm has become necessary as it is obvious some people are embarking on suicide mission by refusing the quit flood zones.”

    He explained that the last year’s incident killed over 100 residents and swept through 300 communities in southern Plateau.

    No fewer than 50 residents of Rikkos area of Jos metropolis also died during the disaster, which also destroyed 350 homes in the community, the deputy governor added.

    He lamented that “majority of the residents whose houses were swept away by the flood in Rikkos last year are busy erecting their houses despite the obvious threat of another predicted flood in this rainy season.

    “In the same way, some people in Langtang South who were victims of last year flood are insisting they will not vacate the danger zone thinking the flood will not occur again.”

    On the level of compliance with his committee’s advice, he said: “it is obvious the people whose lives are in danger are not ready to heed government early warning.

    “Though some people have willingly complied with these preventive measures, many others are still insisting they will remain where they are.”

    He vowed government would not relent in its efforts to continue sensitising people on the impending danger, stating it will be cheaper to prevent than manage a disaster.

    Investigations revealed some of those resisting relocation believe they are protecting their ancestral lands where they claimed they buried their grandparents.

     

  • Flood hits UNICAL

    Flood hits UNICAL

    The regular students of the University of Calabar (UNICAL) were about rounding off their first semester examination to leave the stage for their colleagues in part-time classes, which is known on the campus as Centre for Educational Services (CES).

    All measures had been put in place to start the Computer-Based Test (CBT) for the CES students last Monday but the exercise was not to be. Students trooped to the campus for their examination without unaware of what the day held for them.

    The day began on a sunny note and final year students of the Faculty of Management Science converged on Pavilions 2 and 3 to write their papers. They waited endlessly for the arrival of question papers and answer booklets.

    At 2:45pm, the atmosphere changed. The sun disappeared, casting a dark cloud over the sky. It was about to rain. Thunder struck, leaving cracking sounds on its trail. Some students, who were reading under a tree beside the Pavilions, scampered for safety.

    Shortly there was a downpour. The rain was accompanied by thunderstorm. The wares of traders near the Department of Genetic and Biotechnology and the New Science Lecture Theatre 5 (NSLT 5) were scattered by the accompanying whirlwind.

    Also, the whirlwind smashed the louvres of offices between the Physics and Chemistry departments.

    Students who had converged to write their examination were drenched.

    The downpour, which lasted for 40 minutes, flooded the campus, causing a traffic gridlock on the two-lane road. The campus drainage was blocked, making water to overflow the road. For hours, heavy traffic paralysed activities on the campus.

    It was a field day for commercial cab operators who hiked fares.

    Motorists drove against the traffic as they attempted to avoid the flooded stretch, aggravating the traffic snarl on the dual carriageway. The university security officers battled to restore sanity on the road.

    When CAMPUSLIFE visited the campus, refuse littered some lecture rooms. Our correspondents gathered that a collision of two electric cables triggered a spark that shattered louvres and doors in the Genetics and Biotechnology department. Students, who took cover in the building, dashed for the exit as smoke billowed from the cables.

    Lecture halls, students’ cafeteria and the bar joints behind the main library were affected by the flood.

    Also, the road connecting Medical College to NSLT 5 was flooded, trapping students who wrote their exams in the lecture theatre for hours.

    What could have been a tragedy was averted when a female student, who got stuck in a drainage, was rescued from drowning by male students. The victim, however, lost her handbag and phone to the flood.

    The incident forced the management to cancel the examinations of final year Accounting and Banking and Finance students, which were scheduled for the evening of the day. CAMPUSLIFE gathered that the halls where the exams were to take place were flooded.

    Speaking to our correspondents, a 500-Level Banking and Finance student, who pleaded anonymity, said:

    “Our exam has been paralysed by the flood. Now, it has been postponed till further notice and only God knows when another date will be fixed. I pray the date does not crash with my carry over papers.”

    He said the poor drainage system at the front of the Pavilions 2 and 3 caused the flood water to overrun the lecture theatre. He urged the management to construct a proper drainage system to prevent loss of lives.

    Another student blamed the incident on what he calls the inefficiency of the waste management unit of the university, saying the flood may have been caused by blockaged drainage.

    “From the look of things, you will find out that when such downpour occurs, the debris is washed down to the drainage, thereby blocking the free flow of water. How can they provide one refuse bin in the male hostel for such large population of students? This is the reason why students dump refuse indiscriminately on the ground,” he said.

    CAMPUSLIFE gathered that it was not the first time the university would experience flooding. The Dean of Students’ Affairs, Prof Eyong Eyong, could not be reached for comment because of network hitches caused by the bad weather. Also, the Students’ Union president, Bassey Eka, could not be reached at the time of this report.

  • Obasanjo calls for cooperation to fight flood

    Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, yesterday in Abeokuta urged Nigerians and civil society groups to partner with the Federal Government in tackling floods in the country.

    The former president spoke at a one-day workshop on “Building a coordinated approach to flood disasters in Nigeria’’ organised by the Centre for Human Security (CHS), an arm of Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL).

    “The good thing about flood is that even though it’s a natural occurrence it is reasonably predictable and it’s seasonal and you also can predict places that may be affected,” he said.

    “Normally, flood should not be a disaster; it is only when we are caught unawares that it becomes a disaster since it is seasonal and reasonably predictable. Why not, therefore, adequately prepare ourselves for it; I believe that the aspect of how to prepare for it is what brought us here.”

    Obasanjo said that the Federal Government and the United Nations agencies were working together on how to manage flood-related issues.

    He said civil society groups, corporate organisations, local government and state should team up with the federal authorities to check flooding.

    “ I believe strongly that all these groups and individuals as well as corporate organisations are also important in tackling flood disasters,’’ he said.

    The Director of CHS, Prof. Peter Okebukola, had said that the workshop was aimed at building more collaborative and proactive approaches for the upcoming flood season and beyond.

    He said that a strategy document would be developed and distributed after the workshop.

  • Fed Govt embarks on flood control in Kwara

    The Federal Government has taken some measures to mitigate flooding in Kwara State, the Chairman, Committee on Flood Disaster and Rehabilitation, Alhaji Mohammed Dabarako, has said.

    Dabarako told reporters in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, that the government’s dredging of Asa River was part of the measures against flooding in the town.

    The government, he said, was constructing an embankment against overflowing of River Niger at Tsonga-Tada road; construction of erosion/flood control project at Abata-Asunkere Oke-Male both in Ilorin West and Edu local government areas of the state.

    He said: “The state government has embarked on erosion/flood control projects in the flood affected and prone areas of the state; the projects include construction of erosion/flood control project from Patigi-Gbaradogi community; construction of bridge at Buka-Adana community, construction of Degeji-Gbajibo road, construction of water channels at Agbabiaka, Danialu all in Moro, Kaiama and Ilorin South local government.”

    Besides, he said the state has provided for a temporary camp (Muslim Pilgrims camp) to relocate victims in case of flood disaster in Ilorin metropolis. He said a virgin land had been cleared at Patigi Local Government Area, where tents are temporarily constructed to relocate flood victims in the area.

    Also, Dabarako said: “Precautionary measures such as identification of flashpoints; sensitisation programme in form of radio/television jingles; workshop/advocacy and stakeholders’meeting with people from the flood prone areas of the state were embarked upon.”

  • Flood sweeps away three children in Ado-Ekiti

    Flood sweeps away three children in Ado-Ekiti

    •Illegal structures must go in two weeks, says Fayemi

    Three children have been swept away by flood in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital.

    The flood was caused by six hours of rainfall, which began around 8pm on Sunday night.

    Properties were also destroyed by the flood.

    The worse-hit areas were Adebayo, Iworoko road, Dallimore, Okesa, Nova Road, Ureje, Omisanjana, Ajilosun, Peace Estate and Omirin.

    A seven-year-old boy, Olamide Ayeni, was among the victims. The identities of the others are yet to be known.

    Speaking with reporters at their home at No. 45, Dallimore Street, Olamide’s uncle, Simeon, said: “Olamide and his 15-year-old sister, Faith, were out running an errand for their mother when the rain started. They said they waited somewhere for it to subside before heading back home.

    “Faith said she held her brother’s hand as they made their way home, but Olamide missed his step and fell into the culvert.

    “She ran home to report what happened and people in the vicinity tried to rescue him. We alerted the Fire Service and its officials joined in the search for him. Up till now (about 1pm yesterday), we have not found his body.”

    Mrs. Funmilayo Obayemi, an engine oil dealer, said: “All the cartons of oil in my shop are soaked with water. I am trying to move them to my house, but the problem is that customers will not want to buy the ones affected by the flood because they are dirty.”

    Mrs. Dupe Idowu, who sells food stuff on the Adebayo-Iworoko road, said: “I am a 62-year-old widow. My husband died seven years ago and left me with seven children. Four of them are in the university. It is this shop that sustains us. Now, everything is about going. The flood has dug up the foundation of the shop. It may collapse any time.

    “I urge the government to assist me. I have no one to turn to. All the food items I am selling, including rice, gari and beans, are gone. Even the yams are soaked.”

    Parts of a students’ hostel, the Mount Zion Hostel, have collapsed.

    The owner of the hostel, Chief Kolawole Faleye, said: “The hostel was built in 1981 and has been accommodating students consistently. Now, it is not just flooded, it has collapsed.

    “Four students narrowly escaped death when the walls of their rooms fell. The flood pulled down the fence and took over the rooms, destroying the belongings of about 40 students.”

    Some of the students said: “We do not know where to begin now. Our textbooks, certificates, food items and electronics are all gone.”

    The General Manager of Crownbiz Hotel, Mr. Oteruku Sunday, said: “The hotel is soaked with water and many things have been destroyed. It may take months to resume business.”

    The proprietor of the Hotel, Chief Bisi Egbeyemi, said: “The flooding was caused by the bridge that was built by the contractors handling the Ado-Iworoko road. The bridge is too small to accommodate the volume of flood coming from the School of Nursing area. The drainage channel was also blocked at some spots, which hindered free flow of water. I urge the state government to reconstruct the bridge to the standard of the Elemi Bridge.”

    Governor Kayode Fayemi inspected the flooded areas and channelisation work.

    He said buildings blocking the waterways would be demolished within two weeks.

    Fayemi decried the violation of town planning laws by many landlords, saying the government would sanction offenders.

    He said: “A lot of the houses that have been caught in harm’s way as a result of flooding were built on flood plains and do not have development control approval. There is also the problem of enforcement on the side of the government. It is the duty of the government to enforce the law. “Even on an approved plan, there must be a setback. There must be certain metres between your house and the road. That law was not obeyed in many of the places I visited today, which include Olorunda, Nova Road, Peace Avenue in Afao road and Oke-Ila.”

    Fayemi said the government would make amends by building larger drains.

    He said: “We will make sure adequate room is provided for drains, so that water can flow into wider channels. We will dredge the channels and ensure that water flows properly. Anyone who has built on a waterway or in a place that will not allow water to flow seamlessly should be ready to hear from me. I have instructed the Ministry of Urban Planning and Lands to demolish those houses within two weeks.”

    The governor was accompanied on the inspection by the Chief of Staff, Mr. Yemi Adaramodu; Commissioner for Lands and Housing Elder Remi Olorunleke; Commissioner for Special Duties Wole Apalara-Adewunmi; Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Roads Sunday Adunmo and officials of the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA).

     

  • Fadama, ADB donate relief materials to flood victims

    Fadama programme in conjunction with African Development Bank (ADB) has donated relief materials to 2,000 farmers affected by the 2012 flood in 10 local government areas of Katsina State.

    The items included 6,000 bags of fertiliser; 4,000 bags of improved seedlings; 3,000 litres of pesticides and 10 multi-purpose thrashers.

    The state Commissioner for Agriculture, Alhaji Musa Adamu, who launched the distribution, said the gesture would complement the State and Federal Governments’ efforts in cushioning the damage caused by the flood.

    Adamu said 90 per cent of people engage in farming which attracted increased investment to the sector from the three tiers of government and agencies such as Fadama.

    He said the state government had rehabilitated 27 irrigation sites including three Federal Government site, and provided various assistance for both rainy and dry season farmers.

    He said the assistance involved inputs, loan schemes and extension worker services.

    Alhaji Bala Shu’aibu, who represented the National Fadama Programme Coordinator, said 600 bags of fertiliser were allocated to each affected local government where 300 bags would be distributed free.

    Shu’aibu said 300 bags would be sold at subsidised rate of N2, 000 per bag.

    He also said that 400 bags of improved seedlings and 300 litres of pesticides would be distributed free, while a thrasher would be installed in each of the affected local government areas.

    He said the affected local governments were; Faskari, Kafur, Rimi, Mani, Kankia, Kankara, Mai’aduwa, Baure, Kaita and Katsina, adding that 200 people would benefit in each of the affected areas.

    Alhaji Sani Danjari, the state Secretary, All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), commended the state government for drilling wells at irrigation farms, reviving agricultural shows and other forms of support to farmers in the state.

    The Transition Committee Chairman of Kankara Local Government, Alhaji Abdulhadi Abdullahi, thanked Fadama for the support, which he said, was timely.