LAST week, the Federal Government warned Nigerians to expect heavy flooding this year, listing Lagos and Ogun as the states likely to experience more flood-related disasters. Director General of the Nigeria Hydrological Service Agency (NIHSA), Mr. Clement Nze, who gave the warning at a press conference in Abuja, said not less than 18 states had started experiencing flood disasters when the country was yet to enter the peak of the rainy season. He added that the current flooding incidents were caused by inadequate drainage systems. According to him, Lagos and Ogun states might experience the three stages of flooding, namely urban, river and coastal flooding, due to their geographical location.

Nze said: “As of today, flood disasters have occurred in many states, notably in the Lagos councils of Mushin, Shomolu, Victoria Island, Lekki, Marina; Keffi in Nasarawa; Onitsha in Anambra; Owerri in Imo; Aba, Abia; Ilorin and Offa, Kwara; Kaduna; Bori,Rivers; Ijebu Ode, Ogun; Asaba, Delta; Jalingo, Taraba; Gashua, Yobe; Ado Ekiti, Ekiti; Akure town, Ondo; Borno, Katsina, Enugu and Maiduguri. It must be pointed out that virtually all the flood incidents were caused by poor drainage systems, as localised rainfall generated urban flooding. River flooding and coastal flooding are yet to set in.” The NIHSA boss called on states and local governments, stakeholders, multinational companies, public-spirited individuals and philanthropists to take measures to prevent the flooding menace instead of waiting to be rehabilitated as victims. On his part, the Minister of Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu, while presenting the 2021 Annual Flood Outlook (AFO) to the public, said 302 local government areas in 36 states, including the Federal Capital Territory ( FCT), would fall within moderate flood risk areas, while 121 local government areas in 28 states would be within the high-risk areas.

To say the least, these warnings have become an annual ritual. The affected states hardly ever take the alerts seriously, lagging behind in the areas of preparation and compliance with the rules. Lagos appears to be the worst hit, with recent flooding incidents damaging vehicles and causing untold hardship for commuters. Sadly, across the country, there is always needless loss of life, as well as losses of property in billions of naira. For how long will Nigerians live at the mercy of the elements, without any practical remedies to stem the tide?

It is indeed hard to imagine that a people with a government could be left to suffer from the elements without let or hindrance. This is in spite of the huge amount of money regularly voted in the annual budget as ecological funds. Unfortunately, these funds often end up in private pockets, not the interventions for which they were originally intended. Then there is the question of the behavioral patterns of citizens themselves who are given to archaic and unhelpful waste disposal practices. Up till now, many people still dump their waste in the drainage during rainfall. They rely on the torrential paths created by rainfall to dispose of their waste, instead of abiding by the more environment-friendly methods specified by the government. Invariably, these wastes constitute an obstruction to the drainage system, thus triggering floods.

The states should be more proactive in preventing flooding. They should not just wait until the worst happens before acting: the predicted deluge need not overtake the citizenry in their helpless conditions. Awareness and public enlightenment campaigns will be helpful. Of course, the waterways need to be dredged and expanded in order to create more space for the anticipated increase in the volume of rainfall. The states should dish out heavy sanctions to those engaging in illegal waste disposal. This will serve as a deterrent to would-be offenders. Some of the states have asked their citizens to quit their residences located in flood-prone areas. If those concerned have approval for the houses, the states must be held responsible for alternative accommodation. The warning by NIHSA must be taken with all the seriousness it deserves.

With all the lives already lost to pervasive insecurity, it will be unfortunate to allow the impending floods to claim the lives of more Nigerians, as if there is no government in charge of the country’s affairs.