By Jude Michael
The National Orientation Agency, NOA, Abuja, has visited flood-prone areas in Anambra State to further sensitize the residents and evaluate the level of the natural disaster in the areas so far.
Briefing newsmen on its findings at Ohita Community in Ogbaru Local Government Area, of the state after assessing the rate of the flood in Ayamelum, Anambra East and West, Onitsha North and South, Idemili North, and Ekwusigo LGAs of the state, the Director General of the agency, Mallam Lanre Issa Onillu, said the agency came to inform the Anambra residents of flood-prone areas that the Lagdo Dam water had been released on 18th September by the Cameroonian authorities.
According to Mallam Onillu, who was represented by the Director Planning, Research and Strategy, NOA, Abuja Headquarters, Alhaji Nuru Yusuf Kobi, the agency expected that the water level of the Rivers Niger and Benue would increase and would usually bring about flooding in Nigeria.
‘So, we thought that it was high time we came and visit our people that are living within the riverine communities to inform them that the Lagdo Dam water has been released and that it is expected that the water level will increase,’ he said.
While stressing that the increase of the water level in the country as a result of the Lagdo Dam water release would lead to flooding, the Director General reminded the Anambra people living within the riverine communities of the dire need to get prepared to relocate to safe uplands.
‘We are now sensitizing or creating awareness so that people could get prepared in case of the flooding.
‘It happened in 2012 and 2022, and we lost 600,000 people to the natural disaster, with over 10, 000 houses submerged,’ the Director said, noting that Nigeria’s government did not want this time around to experience the same negative impact.
He disclosed that the Cameroonian authorities were releasing about 5 million cubic meters of water every day, a situation he feared, would increase the rate of water level in Nigeria’s water channels.
‘So people should get prepared because this time around, government does not want the country to incur any form of losses to the flood,’ he said.
In his contribution, the NOA State Director in Anambra, Mr Edozie Ajaegbu, informed the visiting team and other participants that the Community Orientation and Mobilization Officers of the agency in the state were already on ground in every local government area of the state on a daily basis, orientating and sensitizing the people on the inherent dangers of the flood water.
Also, the President General of Ohita Community, Chief Emma Obi, thanked the NOA, the Nigerian Hydrological Service Agency, and other agencies that always informed and sensitized the residents of flood-prone areas, for their good work.
He disclosed that this year’s flood was already with his people and in full force in some communities like Atani, and Odepke, where he said that most buildings had been submerged.
Chief Obi, who is also the leader of community Presidents General in Ogbaru LGA, expressed the fear that if the flood eventually continued with the rate it was coming now, in no distant time, it would submerge every place in the LGA.
‘So it is a problem to us but we thank government for alerting us to ensure that we harvest our farm produce and take them, as well as other valuables to where they should be safe and our people relocated to the IDP camps,’ the Present General said.
He stated that all the palliatives government was given to the flood affected areas would not solve the flooding problems in the area, and appealed to the government to provide permanent measures for lasting solutions to flooding in the country by building dams.
