The Nation Newspaper

Tag: flooding

  • Flooding: Insurers urged on policy

    Operators have been urged to capitalise on the flood ravaging many parts of the country to drum support for related policy, the President, Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN), Dr Wole Adetimehin, has said.

    In a statement by the institute’s Director of Corporate Communication, Joseph Obah, Adetimehin said insurance penetration in Nigeria was a result of several factors, ranging from lack of awareness to the average citizen’s scale of preference.

    He said: “In many ways, Insurance remains an essential index for measurement of national development although lacking in its expected degree of presence in individual and national consciousness, especially in developing countries like Nigeria.

    “Recent flooding of parts of Nigeria and cases of related environmental hazards make insurance the way to go for Nigerians. The insurance sub-sector must seize this as the needed opportunity to drive home its age-long message.”

     

  • 2013 Budget proposal didn’t consider flooding, says ANPP

    The All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) has accused President Goodluck Jonathan of not taking the menace of flooding in the country into consideration before drawing next year’s Budget.

    The party questioned the N81.41 billion voted for agriculture and rural development.

    The ANPP, in a statement, said: “Last week, President Goodluck Jonathan presented the 2013 budget proposal to the joint session of the Senate and House of Representatives, where he submitted that the budget gives priority to food security. Considering that a relatively meagre N81.41 billion was budgeted for agriculture and rural development, the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) believes that it is either not fair to the sector.

    “Every Nigerian is affected by the current environmental hazard pummelling the nation, but more affected are the coastal and rural dwellers, the petty agriculturalists and subsistence farming-dependent citizens who can barely survive outside their familiar rural territory.

    “In fact, the Minister of Environment, Hajiya Mailafiya, recently stated that the country faced imminent food crisis, as more than 5,000 farmlands in many states had been washed away and there could be food shortage. We see no other way of addressing the looming danger apart from concerted, strategic and broad intervention based on a budgetary blueprint for next year in the agricultural and rural development sector, which underpin the affected areas. However, looking at provisions for these sectors in the 2013 budget proposal, we can only see the handwriting of a government that is not prepared to face this manifest challenge.”

  • My flooding headache, by Jonathan

    My flooding headache, by Jonathan

    THE after-effect of the floods on victims and communities is giving President Goodluck Jonathan some sleepless nights.

    But there was cheery news for the victims as they would not stay longer than necessary at the relief camps.

    The President said they would be resettled in their communities once the floods have receded.

    According to him, the resettlement of the victims is the primary task of the 34-member National Committee on Flood Relief and Rehabilitation.

    The committee, co-chaired by businessman Aliko Dangote and erstwhile chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mr. Olisa Agbakoba (SAN), was inaugurated yesterday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    It (the committee) immediately swung into action, setting for itself a N100 billion target.

    Shortly after the inauguration, the President began a tour of flooded states.

    The tour, expected to be in phases, started with Kogi State. Others in Category A are Anambra, Delta, Bayelsa and Rivers.

    Other states in the category but not listed in the first phase of the tour are Oyo, Adamawa, Benue and Plateau.

    The flood-ravaged states have been categorised into four groups, based on the present assessment.

    In Category B are: Jigawa, Kano, Bauchi, Kaduna, Niger, Nasarawa, Taraba, Cross River, Edo, Lagos and Imo states.

    Kwara, Katsina, Gombe, Ogun, Ondo, Ebonyi, Abia and Rivers are in Category C, while Sokoto, Kebbi, Zamfara, Yobe, Enugu, Ekiti, Osun, Akwa Ibom, Borno states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) fall into Category D.

    The President on Tuesday announced a N500 million package each cash of the states in category A and N400 million each to the Category B states, Category C states (N300 million) each and Category D states (N250 million) each.

    In a short remark at the inauguration, Jonathan renews his assurance to the victims, saying that the government would do everything possible to ameliorate the impact.

    He expressed the hope that within 12 months, the victims would have been resettled to resume their normal live.

    The President said: “Let me also use this opportunity to assure Nigerians again that the present administration will do everything possible to ameliorate the impact of this devasting flood on our people.

    “We will do everything to cushion their pain, and we have put up a strong team made up of credible men and women who will also help government to achieve this.

    “The task of the committee is essentially to raise funds to compliment or augment federal government’s effort to cushion the immediate effect if flooding and the resettlement and recovery of affected persons.

    “This is most critical because when people are under stress, they can endure a lot but the floods will surely recedes we believe before the middle of November the flood will go if it is the normal flood we have witnessed before.

    “After that what happens to the people that is even what disturbs me more than when people are under stress.

    “When you raise the fund, we will be able to see how we can rehabilitate this people. We wouldn’t want people to begin to live in camps, they should be able to go back to their communities and settle down.”

    Explaining the reason behind the choice Dangote and Agbakoba a co-chairmen for the committee, and Chief Mike Adenuga as the chief fund mobiliser, the President said the committee has a mandate to raise funds to assist government in managing the victims.

    His words: “This is why in addition to measures we have taken in terms of releasing funds to government agencies and directly to state governments to assist in helping to manage this disaster, we feel compel to set up this committee to generate funds to assist government in managing these people.”

    Reiterating that the country was facing its own unfair share of the global phenomenon of flooding, the President also said his administration feels terribly worried and sad that these ravaging floods are really affecting so many Nigerians of our people.

    “There are so many states that are affected, with 50 to 70 per cent including my state are under water,” he said.

  • ‘This is the worst flooding in decades’

    ‘This is the worst flooding in decades’

    Some 1.3 million Nigerians have been displaced and 431 have died in what the authorities say is the worst flooding in over 40 years, with 30 of the country’s 36 states affected since July, according to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).

    Heavy rain has submerged much of Delta and Bayelsa states in the southwest, affecting some 350 communities and making 120,000 people homeless, according to the state authorities and the Nigerian Red Cross (NRC).

    Flooding started in Plateau State in central Nigeria in July, spread through Borno, Cross River, Ebonyi, Nassarawa, Bauchi, Gombe, Katsina and Kebbi states in August, hit Taraba Benue, Niger, Kaduna and Kano in September, before affecting Delta and Bayelsa states in September and October.

    Thousands of people who had sheltered in dozens of temporary displacement sites in Delta and Bayelsa states have had to flee once again as they have been flooded, forcing agencies to build new ones on higher ground.

    In Bayelsa’s capital, Yenagoa, 3,000 people are sleeping in the Ovom State Sports Complex.

    Thousands of houses, some 20 health clinics and five hospitals, as well as dozens of schools, churches and government buildings have been destroyed or damaged in Delta State. Six of Bayelsa’s eight districts were flooded, according to Emenike Umesi, NEMA’s zonal coordinator in Port Harcourt.

    Most of the schools in the affected area are closed or currently occupied by internally displaced persons (IDPs).

    It is not yet known how many hectares of crops have been destroyed but many farmers told IRIN they had lost everything – including this year’s yam, cassava and cocoa yam crop – while most of the fisheries were also flooded. “All my sources of livelihood are destroyed. I am pleading with the federal government to compensate us and find a lasting solution to the flood menace,” said Philip Ofodemu, a farmer from the Kwele community in Delta State.

    Aid agencies have been “overwhelmed” by the extent of the damage and the response needs stronger coordination, said Abdul Mariga, an NRC disaster management coordinator.

    Most IDPs IRIN spoke to were in desperate need of food aid. “We have not been given food since we arrived,” said Evelyn Oyatu, who fled with her four children from Ebedebiri to Yenagoa, which itself faced severe flooding. “I’m weak. The state government should come to our aid,” she told IRIN.

    Another flood survivor in Yenagoa, Gloria Ozuo, told IRIN, crying, that she and her children had been given a small loaf of bread the day before. “We die for hungry here,” she told IRIN.

  • Fed Govt worried over flooding

    Fed Govt worried over flooding

    The Federal Government yesterday said it was worried over the floods ravaging parts of the country.

    It described natural disaster as a potential threat to food security, saying the situation at hand is as a matter of national emergency.

    According to the Minister of the Environment, Mrs. Hadiza Mailafia, Kogi State, has the most devastating impact of the floods out of the seven states affected.

    Mrs. Malaifia told reporters at the end of the weekly Federal Executove Council (FEC) meeting alongside  Labaran Maku (Information), Mr. Mike Onolememen (Works), Senator Idris Umar (Transport) and Nyesom Wike (State, Education), that the federal government is concerned.

    Vice President Namadi Sambo chaired yesterday’s meeting in the absence of President Goodluck Jonathan is away to attend the United Nations General Assembly in New York, (United States).

    The minister noted that in the estimation of the government, over 5,000 farmlands were washed away by the ravaging flood across the country.

    She argued that the high number of affected farmlands was a potential threat to food security.

    Besides, she said the situation could lead to the breakout of epidemic, saying the disaster has the capacity of affecting the health of the people.

    The minister said: “The consequences (of the flood) is that there are huge loss of farmlands. These are likely threats to food security. We are likely going to have challenges that have to do with the health of the people in some areas.

    “The flooding we are experiencing in the country do not in any way fall into what you can term man-made. This is a natural phenomenon that cuts across the globe. With the technology in places like the United States, they still had the flooding there, in China and even our neighbour Niger with an arid land.

    “For anyone to think that government has not done well or that there was something that we needed to do that we have not done is a little bit awesome because there is a limit to which you can fight nature.

    “Where you have in a country where well over 5,000 farmlands washed away, then there is cause for attention. It is of national interest. So, all what we are saying is that it is a national emergency. It calls for sober reflection.”

    According to her, the development would affect the school calendar in the affected states.

    On the Kogi flood that has rendered the Lokoja-Abuja Road impassable, she said three contractors: Messrs Julius Berger, Dantata and Sawoe as well as RCC had been mobilised to site.

    She assured stakeholders that the alternative route being constructed for motorists would be ready on Thursday (today).

    On criticism that the government team only did aerial assessment of the impact of the flood, Mrs Mailafia argued that there was no way the chopper used for the assessment could land in a state like Plateau because of the magnitude of the flood.

    “Some people said why did we fly? We could not have landed on water and there was a limit to where we could drive,” she explained.

    The minister warned other states to be prepared because while the water will be finding its way into the Atlantic Ocean, it would pass through some states.

    She said in a couple of days, the team would also be visiting some other states on the same matter.

    Onolememen said the Federal Government’s inspection team did a number of land survey and decided on an approach to mitigate the situation.

    He said the alternative road identified has attained 60 per cent completion as at yesterday, assuring that it would be ready on today.

    Umar also debunked insinuations that the dredging of Lower River Niger was responsible for the flooding, insisting that it was a natural disaster.

    The incident has affected the Good Governance Tour of Federal Government to Kogi State.

    The scheduled visit to the Northcentral state was suspended yesterday. A new date would be announced.

    Maku explained that due to the challenge posed by the flood, organisers of tour had decided to give the government and people of the state time to recover.

    Instead of moving to Kogi, the minister said the team would now go to Kwara next week and from there visit other Northcentral states.

  • Oyo rebuilds Olosan Bridge to avert flooding

    APRRENTLY bracing for the predicted heavy downpour in its domain, the Oyo State government has rehabilitated the bridge across the popular Olosan River in Alakia Isebo, Egbeda Local Government Area.

    Oyo is the only state in the Soutwest listed by the Federal Ministry of the Environment to be affected by floods before the rainy seasons subsides this year.

    Olosan Bridge is notorious for being overflown by flood each time it rains with its attendant effect of cutting off 11 communities from the rest of the city.

    But the bridge is wearing a new look as its rehabilitation would soon be completed.

    Besides the comprehensive rehabilitation, the retaining walls have been raised and fortified with hardcore stones to withstand future hazards.

    Also undergoing rehabilitation by Messrs OAF & Associates Limited is the 13-kilometre road network within the communities.

    Mr. Tunde Okunade, an engineer an official of firm, said the road was being rehabilitated to give residents of the area a new lease of life.

    Okunade said since the bridge had been raised from a single-box culvert to a double-box culvert and with the standard drain and supportive access and cross culvert, the era of flood wrecking havoc on it and the entire road has become a thing of the past.

    According to him, the firmed enjoyed the cooperation of the communities for as long as the rehabilitation lasted. He assured that the road would not be wiped away by floods.

    The Chairman of Olosan/Alakia landlords Association Road Committee, Alhaji Isiaka Salami hailed the government for extending democratic dividends to their doorstep.

    He specifically thanked Governor Abiola Ajimobi and his Works Commissioner Alhaji Yunus Akintunde for hiring a reliable company to handle the project.

    Speaking in his capacity as the supervising officer of the community on the project, Salami said he could attest to the quality of work.

  • Flooding: Food scarcity looms, expert warns

    Flooding: Food scarcity looms, expert warns

    THE unprecedented flooding sweeping across many states of the federation is a threat to food security in the country and a sign of possible food scarcity next year, the Managing Director, Upper Niger River Basin Development Authority (UNRBDA), Professor Paul Shaba Marley warned yesterday.

    Marley, a professor of crop production, told reporters in Minna, Niger State, that the floods have washed away many farmlands, especially in the North.

    He said the country should therefore brace up for possible food scarcity on account of the devastating effect of the flooding.

    The river basin authority boss pointed out that the volume of water associated with flood is inimical to crop production adding that except the water in the submerged farmlands recedes quickly, especially in places where cereals are grown in the North, next year may be unpleasant for the country.

    He said: ‘’Except for rice that is highly tolerant of water, other cereals are not. Horticulture corps and other food corps in flood affected areas are being lost and these will cause the country big problem in food production next year because it may take long for the water to recede.”

    He observed that, “most town planning regulations are being flouted in the name of development. People build houses, shops and parks on water ways and whatever happens, water must find its way out and find its level and whatever is on its way becomes a victim as such obstacles are washed away by the flood.

    “Flash flood is very dangerous; it washes anything that is on its path. We recorded the highest devastation from flash flooding this year. It washed away thousands of houses and farmlands.”

     

  • Nigeria will tackle Cameroun over flooding – Mark

    Nigeria will tackle Cameroun over flooding – Mark

    Senate president David Mark has assured victims of flood disasters in the country that the Federal Government has put in place measures that would compel cameroun not to release excess water from Lagdo dam or Lake Nyios.
    Speaking with journalist after monitoring settlements affected by floods in Makurdi, Benue State,Senator Mark,who was in company of the former national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Barnabas Gemade and Minster of Interior,Comrade Abba Moro, said the government would address the challenges of flooding in the country.
    He noted that since the creation of Benue State,this year’s flood is the most devastating and pledged the assistance of the senate in bringing succour to the victims who are scattered in various camps in the state capital.
    The senate president donated N4 million naira to the victims,while Morro and Gemade coughed out N2million and N1 million respectively.
    Governor Gabriel Suswam on his part said the state and federal government are working out modalities to compensate the victims of the disaster and appealed for calm.
    Meanwhile, residents of several communities in Udaba, Osomhegbe, Ofukpo and Agbazi in Anegbette and Udochi in Etsako Central Local Government Area of Edo State have been sacked following overflow of the River Niger occassioned by heavy rainfall.
    The affected persons struggled to move to dry land even as many relocated to their relatives in neighbouring villages.
    Farm lands, houses and property worth millions of naira were washed off.
    The lawmaker representing Estako Central at the Edo State House of Assembly, Hon Johnson Oghuma, raised the alarm during plenary session on Thursday.
    Oghuma, who drew attention of his colleagues to the plight of the affected communities said his people were in dire need of aids.
    Other lawmakers who spoke on the matter urged relevant agencies to provide relief materials for the affected communities.
    Edo State Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Barr. Osikhena-Boih Donald, who hails from the area also visited some of the affected villages for an on-the-spot assessment of the damages done by flooding.

     

  • Jigawa awards N66m contract to check flooding

    Jigawa awards N66m contract to check flooding

    The Jigawa State government has awarded contract for the construction of 475 metres drain in the Ringim Local Government Council to check flooding in the area.

    The state Commissioner for Information, Alhaji Babandi Ibrahim, told reporters in Dutse that the project which is in continuation of efforts to check flooding in the area would cost N66 million.

    Ibrahim said that the contract was awarded to Triacta Nigeria Limited, adding that the scope of the contract included, the construction of embankment, culverts and drain.

    “The state government has constructed various drains, under the first phase of the project as part of measures to control flooding,’’ Ibrahim said.

    He said the state government had also constructed drains and culverts in other flood prone communities across the state to stem environmental degradation.

    It would be recalled that four persons died while more than 1,000 houses, farmlands and roads were destroyed across 13 local government areas in the last four weeks.

    The government had also set up a committee to relocate displaced communities in the flood prone areas.

    It also embarked on drainage clearing across the 27 councils as well as sensitising the communities on dangers of dumping waste in drains.

  • Community laments incessant flooding

    Community laments incessant flooding

    •Govt: help on the way

    FOR residents of Ifelodun Street in Dopemu, Agege, a Lagos suburb, whenever it rains, it is a nightmare.
    Their houses and streets are usually flooded and properties destroyed.
    This is what they experience every year.  They urged  the government to intervene after taking our reporter round the area yesterday.
    The Chairman, Dopemu Community Development Association (DCDA), Revd. Adetunji Fagbemi, and other members of Ifelodun Street Landlords Association, said the area should be declared a disaster zone, adding that help “should urgently be extended to the area to address the plight of the people presently living there to prevent any disaster.”
    Fagbemi said: “For the umpteenth time, we are appealing to the Lagos State Government to come to the aid of the people of Ifelodun Street, Dopemu by completing the canal that seemed to have been abandoned for a very long time, leading to a yearly nightmare for the residents who have been at the receiving end of heavy flooding in their area.”
    He blamed the flood on the abandoned canal.
    According to him, the canal which came to an abrupt  end near a pharmacy should have been channelled to link Valley Estate, by Cement Bus Stop on the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway, but it was abandoned, leaving the people to bear the brunt.
    He said while the canal which used to be an earth canal was cleaned and cemented upland  from Oko-Oba and Orile-Agege area few years ago, it was abandoned at Ifelodun Street only to be continued at Cement Bus Stop.
    “The result has been that all the water coming from Ogba, Oko-Oba, Pen-Cinema, Oke-Koto, and Orile-Agege end up flooding the Ifelodun area, with all houses in the area usually submerged any time it rains,” Fagbemi said.
    He said though no lives have been lost to the flood, the challenge of climate change and the prediction of an intense rainfall by the Nigeria Meteorological Institute (NIMET), have compelled the people to again raise the alarm that the whole area might be under threat if the flood is not checked.
    He said the street, which is an alternative road that motorists could take to bypass the busy Dopemu Bridge in getting to the Abeokuta Expressway, by Iyana Dopemu, has become impassable because of the collateral damage done  flood in the past.
    Another resident  urged the government to alleviate the sufferings of the residents.
    “You need to see the apprehension on the faces of residents any time rain threatens to fall. The entire road would become impassable and accessing their homes would be an uphill task for them. Sadly, I grew up to see this place like this, and I can say nothing has changed in the past 25 years that I have lived in this area. It is affecting the quality of lives of all residents and we can only appeal to the state government to come to our rescue,” he said.
    An official of the Ministry of the Environment, who spoke on condition of anonymity, promised that the ministry would  intervene to lessen the suffering of the people.
    He advised the residents to always liaise with the drainage officer in charge of the area for effective dissemination of information concerning  the government’s activities and how their area could benefit.
    A list of officials posted to  the 20 local governments and 37 Local Council Development Areas (LCDA, was recently published by the Ministry.