Torrential rainfall in Niger State over the years has led to severe flooding, resulting in the loss of lives and millions of Naira worth of properties. This ecological disaster results in the houses and farmlands being submerged.
The effects of this annual catastrophe continue to linger, leaving many households unable to fully recover.
Despite efforts by the federal, state, and local governments to address the recurring menace, significant results have yet to be achieved.
In response to the unfavorable situation, the Hydroelectric Power Producing Areas Development Commission (HYPPADEC) has taken decisive actions to alleviate the potential impact of imminent flooding on the affected communities this year.
The Nigerian Meteorological Service (NIMET) has identified Niger State as one of the states that will be vulnerable to devastating floods again this year.
In addition to the natural cause of heavy rainfall, the presence of the three hydroelectric dams – Kainji, Jebba, and Shiroro – has consistently inflicted grave consequences on the local population residing near the dam areas.
Every year, houses, farmlands, livestock, and valuable properties worth millions of Naira are consistently lost. The most severe flooding in the state occurred in 2012, submerging no less than 17 out of the 25 local government areas and resulting in numerous casualties.
Abubakar Sadiq Yelwa, the Managing Director of HYPPADEC, voiced his disappointment during a stakeholders’ meeting in Minna. He criticized the unyielding behavior of villagers living in riverine areas, who consistently choose to stay in their ancestral homes despite the evident hazards.
‘The Commission has devised another means of tackling the menace. The plan is not to mitigate but to prevent catastrophe from occurring. Dredging will not be a solution because it will only control the volume of water. What we are looking as an alternative which will even be beneficial to the people in the communities who are predominantly farmers is to harness the water that could be used for all year farming by the villagers. This is by way of introducing irrigation farming to the people and thereby boosting their economy by staying in business throughout the year,’ Yelwa disclosed.
However, the head of HYPPADEC noted that, for the time being, it is crucial for traditional rulers, local government chairmen, government officials, and other stakeholders to take the lead in raising awareness among villagers. They should emphasise the importance of heeding to the urgent call to temporarily evacuate their homes prior to the peak of rainfall. This measure aims to prevent the loss of lives and properties.
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‘The Commission is avoiding situations where communities and villages would be wiped off because of overflowing of the dams and flooding as it had been in previous years and that is why we implore our traditional rulers and the local government Council Chairmen to sensitize the people on basic environmental practices to reduce the impact of flood and that is why we are working towards ensuring that farmers benefit from the excess water from the rivers and dams by way of engaging them in all year farming,’ he said.
According to the Managing Director, the Commission has already intervened in certain areas to alleviate the suffering of flood victims. He further mentioned that 17 blocks of three classrooms have been constructed in the state. Additionally, a contract for the construction of another 17 blocks of classrooms will be granted in the near future.
Alhaji Ibrahim Ahmed Matane, the former Secretary to the State Government (SSG), representing the Niger government, urged communities situated along river banks to relocate promptly to avert an imminent flood disaster this year.
His words: ‘Traditional leaders and local government Chairmen in affected communities prone to flooding have been directed to begin sensitization of the grassroots ahead of pending 2023 flooding to avoid the impact of the disaster because the state government is committed to ensuring that people do not suffer hardship during this year’s flooding. It therefore becomes imperative for communities close to river banks to be sensitive on the coming danger.’
In his remarks, Alhaji Ibrahim Ahmed Inga, the Director General of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), offered a solution to address the yearly displacement of people from their homes due to flooding.
‘It entails that the riverine people should retain their homes in the river beds while also having homes upland where they can relocate as a result of flood. Already, the agency through the state government has established 11 resettlement sites across the state flood prone areas and they are provided with basic health facilities and handed over to the Ministry of Health as well as education institutions,’ he said.
Addressing the audience, Mr. Lucky Barau, the Permanent Secretary of the Niger State Ministry of Environment, stressed the state government’s initiative to encourage afforestation in order to manage and mitigate flooding in flood-prone communities. He also mentioned that the government has devised plans to stabilize communities that face the imminent threat of being wiped out by floods. Furthermore, resettlement communities have been established for areas highly vulnerable to annual flooding.
Other government present include Ibrahim Yahaya Gbongbo, the State Director of National Orientation Agency (NOA), and Dr. Jonathan Wasa, the Permanent Secretary of Special Services, voiced their concerns about the misuse of drainages across Niger, with a specific focus on Minna, the state capital. They lamented the fact that these drainages had become dumping grounds for refuse and stressed the need for a change in people’s attitudes.
‘We should all come together to wage a total war against the indiscriminate dumping of refuse into the drainages which invariably turn against us in form of flooding which will at the end wash away our belongings and in some cases take lives’, Wasa stated.
Alhaji Yusuf Nuhu, the Emir of Agaie and spokesperson for the traditional rulers in the state, noted their commitment to handling the issues put forward in order to mitigate future flooding. He urged HYPPADEC to intensify their visits to affected communities, sensitizing them about the perils of flooding and the necessity of relocating to higher ground when required, as directed by the government.
As suggested, a viable long-term solution to combat this annual catastrophe is the relocation of individuals residing downstream to permanent settlements in upland areas. Given their attachment to ancestral homes and the lack of alternative relocation options, allocating extensive land, agricultural resources, and financial aid would enable a smooth transition.