Environmental Advocate Harps On Proactive Measures To Mitigate Flooding

An environmental advocate, Dr. Comfort Asokoro-Ogaji, has called for a proactive measures to mitigate flooding across the country.

This is contained in a statement signed by her in Abuja.

The statement says the call became imperative following the Federal Government’s warning of Impending Flood in 31 States during the presentation of the annual Flood Outlook report recently.

“The Federal Government’s recent announcement regarding the prediction of flooding in 31 states across Nigeria. The forecast, which highlights the high flood-risk areas and the expected impact on communities, agriculture, and infrastructure, underscores the urgent need for proactive measures to mitigate the looming disaster” she stresses.

According to the statement, Dr. Asokoro-Ogaji emphasizes the critical importance of swift and decisive action to safeguard lives and property in the affected regions.

“The Federal Government’s warning serves as a wake-up call for all stakeholders to prioritize preparedness and resilience-building efforts,” Dr. Asokoro-Ogaji adds.

According to her, the high flood-risk states include Adamawa, Akwa-Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Imo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, and Yobe.

It explains that the high flood-risk areas are expected to experience significant flooding between April and November 2024 with severe impact on population, agriculture, livelihoods, livestock, infrastructure, and the environment.

“72 Local Government Areas (LGAs) across the country fall within the high flood-risk areas between April and June, while 135 LGAs are at risk between July and September, and 44 LGAs at risk between October and November 2024″ she notes.

The statement emphasizes that areas categorized under moderate flood risk, will
witness moderate flooding between April and November 2024.

“This moderate impact level flooding is expected to affect parts of 63 LGAs between April and June, parts of 221 LGAs between July and September, and parts of 100 LGAs between October and November 2024″ the environmentalist adds.

The statement urges all levels of government and relevant stakeholders to collaborate and take proactive measures to mitigate the potential impact of flooding in the identified high-risk areas.

“We must act swiftly and decisively to protect our communities and build resilience against the looming threat of floods,” Dr. Asokoro-Ogaji stresses.

PR By Georgina Humphrey