FLOOD DISASTER: MANY PAINS, FEW SOLUTIONS

The recurring flood disaster along the coastal communities in Nigeria has left no fewer than 25 million Nigerians being displaced and devastated in recent times. Those living along the coastal communities of Rivers, Niger, Benue, Sokoto, Katsina, Lagos, Ondo, Bayelsa, Delta, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, and Cross River states are gravely affected by the incessant flood menace while most of the state governors have directed the flood victims to evacuate their communities and provide makeshift relief sfor them. It is sad that the federal government has abysmally failed to explore proactive measures in tackling perennial flood in some disaster –prone northern states and blocked drains and water channels in the South- East and some states in the Niger- Delta region which has equally rendered many Nigerians homeless and helpless. No matter how government will provide relief materials cannot savage the suffering dwellers of these affected communities. The worst is that property worth billions of naira has been destroyed by the flood.

Though the imminent climate change across the globe which adversely affected Nigeria with the looming danger being posed by the inevitable and inescapable flood. Although the warnings of climate change on flood disaster was issued to Nigerians by great experts on climate change but our government never provided solution to it. The continuous ravaging flood has put many Nigerians into untold hardship which those in the coastal communities are grossly affected while the relief materials provided by some of the affected state governors are not adequately enough to cater for the people. Since the upsurge of the flood challenge, economic activities have been totally grounded without immediate solutions to it. Even some of the highland communities are gradually taken by the flood while death casualties have increased to 95 percent. The prices of goods and services and transportation are at geometrical progression.

Even 78,228 Nigerians have been displaced while torrential rains have wrecked seriously havoc in some states of the federation, most especially in the North and Niger-Delta region. Niger- Delta people occupations are farming and fishing and nothing else. Only few people in that region involved in illegal oil businesses. The discharge of water from Lagdo Dam in Cameroon was the major cause of the untold incessant flood across Nigeria with the climate change phenomenon

The problem with this mordant and corrosive flood disaster is that Nigerian leaders do not know how to curtain impending disaster if it occurs that has resulted into many lost of lives and property destroyed. The fact remains that the flood is rising on daily basis while the state governors of these affected regions are overstretched. The flood has brought the invasion of dangerous reptiles including crocodiles and snakes in many communities across Nigeria. The Presidential committee on flood led by Hadiza Mailafiya and Minister for Environment is yet to provide any panacea to the situation. The National Emergency management Agency (NEMA) and some of the state ones are overstretched while the absence of surface drains and blockage of existing drains with Municipal waste, refuse and eroded the soil sediments are the major cause of the dreaded flood. Even the flood is worst than Boko Haram menace in Nigeria which every tragedy occurs today is no longer news but a reality. This flood is worst than Tsunmi flood which the lives of Nigerians are greeted with disaster of the unknown.

Although the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) had alerted Nigeria that there would be an above normal rainfall in strategic parts of the country which might lead to flooding incidents in 12 states of the federation, yet nobody gave consent to that instruction. The river comes from Futadjalon ,6000 kilometers from Nigeria and it takes a lot of debris on its way and coming over, it is such a long stretch so that you have to erratically break the tide so that whenever something happens. The menace of this incessant flood indicates the natural disaster which cannot be controlled by any government. For President Goodluck Jonathan to submit a supplementary budget to address the current plaguing flood disaster and victims of the affected states is a welcome development. The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) to take steps to desit waterways and tributaries which are sited and taken over by shrubs to allow for channels and easy flow of water to contain the ravaging flood in the coastal communities. This flood threat initially started in mid- July due to the heavy down pours across the country. This so-called flood has created untold poverty to many affected communities which invariably sending a wrong signals of hunger and strife in the next two years together with high profile criminal activities, If the government does not take urgent steps to avert the situation. Even wild animals are chasing away people from their homes while the rescue centres provided by the government are not adequately enough to cater for the flood victims. Deaths are being recorded in the so-called rescue centres while some flood victims refused to vacate their communities for being invaded by criminals. The only means of transportation in those affected flood communities is speed boats and local canoes which cost of ferrying people has increased to 90 percent.

Lastly, only God can avert this unbearable and inevitable flood in Nigeria. Our so-called Nigerian pastors should pray constantly for the country. It is sad that no pastor ever saw the flood coming in order to avert it on time. The federal government must collaborate with other relevant agencies and international communities to initiate proactive and preventive measures to fight against future recurrence of flood disasters in the country. Let God have mercy on us now. BY GODDAY ODIDI. 08058124798. 20 Oro street Ajegunle Apapa Lagos. Public Affairs Analyst.