FLOOD, a man-made disaster

It is my conviction that flood disaster management has been given a superficial approach in Nigeria, as the issue concerns less previlaged people. Specifically, the devastating effect of flooding hit mostly women and children at the lower income strata.

If you look at settlement pattern of the front line States mostly hit by such disasters, you will find out that the richer communities live uphill, while poorer people tend to be pulled towards settlements at the fringes of towns where land is cheaper, and often dangerously close to riverbanks or water ways.

Other factors that defines these settlement patterns also have to do with the desire of fishermen and farmers to move close to rivers and farmlands. But these strategic desires, good as they seemed, had turned into disasters.

The raining season of 2012 came with countless horror of instant deaths due to drowning by flood waters, road wash always, submerged houses, crops and whole farmlands in some cases. The devastations were enormous. And as usual, Government would send out messages of condolence and hope for succour. Nothing concrete was put up to check a recurrence; no permanent solutions were offered, yet again, we hear of flood warning alerts from the Government.

On Sunday, NAN broke a story that seven communities in Demsa and Numan local government areas of Adamawa state were flooded after a heavy flow of water from Kiri dam. Even before this incidence, Warnings of flooding from Lagdo dam in Cameroun were given out. This threat, just like in 2012, is still starring at our communities with no permanent solution to our rescue.

In 2012, 500million was said to have been given to Adamawa state Government to help victims of the flood disaster. It is disheartening to hear stories from victims who claimed to have only gotten blankets or mats from the government. Some other person said he only got N500.

In Goronyo local government of Sokoto State, about 800 houses, a hospital, and a school were built for flood victims. Similar effort was done in parts of Bayelsa, Kogi etc.

It would be humane if this government would take up the challenge of providing a permanent solution for flood disaster victims.

1. Government must stop land allocations along the corridors of threat. The danger zone should clearly be enumerated, enforced, so that innocent people do not fall victim to landlords.
2. Government must commence mass housing effort to reduce scarcity of decent shelter.
3. Drainages must be erected for proper flow of rain water.
4. Sanitation and hygiene exercises must be carried out periodically to ensure drainages are not blocked.
5. Building permits must be sought from the proper government agencies to make sure structures do not inhibit flow of sewage and other wastes.
6. Planning of towns and communities must vigorously be pursued in such a way structures do not constitute blockages.
7. Buffer dams must also, immediately, be constructed. Dasin Hausa dam in Adamawa state was said to be one of those dams earmarked to be built since 1982, but nothing was done about it. All the representatives of that area, both in the Senate and Reps, must come together and see how to revisit the issue of buffer dams.