NEMA, NIHSA, NIMET, Others Raise Alarm Over Imminent River Flooding Reminiscent Of 2012

*Says 13 States Along Rivers Niger, Benue May Be Affected

By CLEMENT NWOJI, Abuja

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NiHSA) and other response agencies have alerted the nation about imminent excessive river flooding reminiscent of the 2012 flood disaster in Nigeria.

NEMA and NiHSA particularly listed 13 frontline States prone to flIood disaster along the River Niger and River Benue basins and warned them to be at alert of the impending river flooding due to excess rain falls and overflow of rivers and dams.

These were disclosed at an emergency meeting of critical stakeholders convened by NEMA to appraise NiHSA’s water level update which indicated that there is impending disaster about to occur through river flooding.

The identified States bound to experience the imminent river flood disaster include States located along the River Niger axis: Kebbi, Niger, Kwara, Kogi, Edo, Delta, Anambra, Bayelsa, Nasarawa and States located with the River Benue axis: Adamawa, Taraba and Benue.

In his opening remarks, the Director General of NEMA.Mustapha Maihaja, explained that the emergency meeting was prompted by the alert received from NiHSA on the rising level of water in rivers which portends danger and the need to ascertain the preparedness of the stakeholders towards containing the effects of the river flooding in event of occurrence.

He said through the meeting, the situation at hand could be classified, committees set up to visit the frontline states likely to experience river flooding so that enlightenment campaigns and awareness can be intensified among the communities within the areas that may be affected.

He said from the statistics on the river water level presented by NiHSA, it is clear that all the indices of why happened in 2012 were all manifest, necessitating the need to set all equipment ready for immediate deployment in event of occurrence.

In his presentation, the NiHSA Director, Engineering and Hydrological, Clement Eze, said that from the monitoring station in Lokoja (River Niger) and Makurdi (River Benue), the systematic rise in the water levels called for need to be watchful for the livelihood of flooding occurrence.

He said disclosed that already, Shiroro dam has joined Kainji and Jebba dams in releasing water which has contributed to the steady rise in the water level.

According to statistics on the water level by the NiHSA, “As at 7th September, 2018, the hydrological measurement downstream the confluence in Lokoja has recorded a stage height of 10.01M and a discharge value of 21.731cm/s As against the value of 9.47 M and 19.898cm/s as recorded on corresponding date of 7th September, 2012″‘

The stakeholders maintained that from the statistics, it could be said that all the indices that caused the 2012 flood in rivers Niger and Benue had manifested, except the release of the water from Lagdo dam in Cameroon.

Further, they concluded that since NiMET had predicted more rainfall in the next three weeks across the country, this may likely lead to higher flooding from the upper catchment of Niger basin.

Consequently, the NEMA Director General who briefed Journalists at the end of the meeting said that the stakeholders resolved to constitute five teams composed of all the stakeholders and charged with visiting all the frontline States to access facilities on ground.

Other responsibilities include to coordinate meetings with the stakeholders for updating the situation, preparedness and response; ensuring the readiness of all stakeholders, coordination and efficient response in even of flood, intensifying enlightenment campaigns, among others.