DAILY TRUST
In spite of the alarm that frontline states along the River Benue will soon be invaded by massive floods, evacuation of residents of vulnerable communities has not started, checks by Daily Trust have revealed.
The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu, had, at a press conference in Abuja on Monday, asked state governors to immediately evacuate citizens from flood-prone communities to safer places in order to avoid loss of lives and property.
The minister had warned that the opening of the Lagdo Dam in Cameroon would lead to floods in all the states on the path of the River Benue within seven days.
Before she spoke, the National Emergency Management Agency had, on Sunday, said Benue, Kogi, Nasarawa, Taraba and Adamawa states would be directly affected, and that the impact would also be felt in Plateau, Delta, Gombe, Bauchi and Cross River states.
NEMA recalled that it had, even before the Lagdo Dam was opened, asked the states to evacuate people from vulnerable communities.
Experts say Nigeria had not learnt any lesson despite experiencing flooding for many years with attendant loss of lives and property.
There was no noticeable permanent solution against flood in any of the frontline states, as people living around river banks only vacate such places when it is evident they would be consumed; only to return to such dangerous places once the waters receded.
Taraba
Our correspondent learnt that some rice farms were already flooded owing to the release of water from the Lagdo Dam. A resident of Sheka in Gassol Local Government Area, Dauda Lawal, said residents, who are mainly fishermen and farmers, said communities in Sheka and other villages usually relocate to Mutumbiyu, Tutare, Taka Wurkum between August and September.
This is even as communities in Zip, Kwatan Nanido, Amar, Dampar and Kwatanta Taru in Gassol, Ibbi and Lau LGAs of the state have started relocating with their families to areas far away from the river.
This followed a radio announcement by the state government warning communities in six local government areas located by the River Benue of an impending flood as a result of the opening of the Lagdo Dam.
Benue govt yet to provide evacuation space
In Benue State, evacuation has not started though the State Emergency Management Agency said it had disseminated information warning the residents at risk to move to higher grounds. SEMA’s Information Officer, Charity Agber, told our correspondent that the state government had not yet provided a space for flood vulnerable residents.
She, however, noted that the agency had stepped up sensitisation and awareness to ensure people were not caught unawares.
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