Background
Perennial rainfall during the raining season has always been a nightmare for many communities in Nigeria especially communities that are located within flood prone locations, resulting in loss of lives and property in some of the cases and distortion to life’s activities.
Early this year, the Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Utsev, alongside the Director General of Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET), Prof. Charles Anosike, cautioned Nigerians to be aware of the dangers associated with the period.
This is as they disclosed that 148 local government areas across 31 states are among the highly flood risk areas for 2024. The states are; Adamawa, Akwa-Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross-River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Imo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi and Kogi.
Others are: Kwara, Lagos, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, and Yobe. Utsev issued this warning during the official unveiling of the 2024 Annual Flood Outlook (AFO) in Abuja.
The theme of this year’s AFO is; promoting the Use of Data Analytics and Modeling for Flood Risk Assessments and Food Security.
Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) leads AFO yearly predictions. Utsev stressed the importance of proactive measures to mitigate potential flood impacts in these areas.
He said there was need for preparedness, early warning systems, and community engagement to minimise damage to lives and property.
The Minister said that the high flood risk areas spanned from April to November 2024; with potential impacts on population, agriculture, livelihoods, livestock, infrastructure, and the environment.
While the DG of NIMET, Prof. Anosike said that the collaboration had notably improved efforts in mitigating the impact of flooding through early warning systems.
According to him, it is a critical initiative aimed at addressing the escalating frequency and severity of flooding incidents across the country.
He underscored the imperative of leveraging data, analytics, and modeling in flood risk assessment and management, citing NIMET’s commitment to providing comprehensive meteorological insights for informed decision-making.
He reaffirmed NIMET’s dedication to collaborating with NIHSA and other stakeholders to deliver timely and accurate weather forecasts tailored to meet the diverse needs of communities nationwide.
Threat
As predicted by the Minister and NIMET, Akwa Ibom, which is one of the states spotlighted to be in danger of flooding during the raining season, have witnessed its baptism, with Uyo, the capital city of the state, in the throes of flooding.
This is as three communities have been submerged by flood within Uyo metropolis despite government interventions on floods in some parts of the state.
The communities include; Nung Obio Enang along stadium road, Urua Ekpa axis and Afaha Oku villages in Uyo metropolis. Our correspondent gathered that the food has sent residents of Nung Obio Enang community out of their houses as many buildings within the locality have been submerged while landlords and tenants fled from their homes.
The village is located close to L& L Hotel, along Godswill Akpabio’s International Stadium, by Julius Berger yard, around Qua Ibom Church Primary School Idoro Road, Uyo.
When our correspondent visited the community more than 32 houses were submerged and residents relocated to houses of their close relatives for safety.
Lamentations
One of the victims, Mr Etop Effiong, lamented that the flood has been a perennial problem that confront residents of the area in the last 12 years.
According to him, residents of the area started experiencing flooding of the community after the construction of stadium road by Julius Berger during the administration of Senator Godswill Akpabio.
He said the construction firm lifted up the road without drainage to chan – nel the water away from their compounds. He said, ‘‘during heavy rainfall and throughout the rainy season, we have to quit from our houses to stay with neighbours for one or two weeks before water dries up in my house.
‘‘This is my predicament and other residents of the area for many years now. This house can collapse anytime” The wife of the victim, who simply identified herself as Eka Esther, said she has lost almost all her clothes to the flood each time it occurs especially in the night.
Esther lamented that the tricycle used by her husband for commercial purpose has been destroyed by the flood. ‘‘Last night I didn’t sleep. Look at my husband’s tricycle there, it has spoilt beyond repairs.
We can’t repair it anymore. It was our source of livelihood. Now, no house to live and no means of livelihood all because of flood,’’ she cried.
She made a passionate appeal to Governor Umo Eno to come quickly to the aid of the people before lives and houses are loss to the flood, noting that this year’s rain has increased and caused more damages for the residents and the community itself.
‘‘Governor Umo Eno should please come and rehabilitate us and others, check the flood here because we don’t have anywhere to live with my children throughout this rainy season,’’ she pleaded.
Another resident, Edem Udotong, who lives behind the community primary school, said pupils cannot walk to their school.
This is as she disclosed, ‘‘this morning, I cried for one little girl who fell inside the flood water but I rushed to rescue him. Who knows whether he would have drowned if no one was around the scene?”
The youth President of the community, Mr Nsikak Eddie has called on Governor Eno to extend his heart of generosity to victims of flood in the community and embark on flood control project in the area.
‘‘My brother please, let Governor Umo Eno show us mercy. The people here have deserted their homes,” he lamented. In Afaha Oku villages, more than 50 houses have been carried away by the flood.
Following this occurrence, the village council appealed to the governor to intervene as the flood is fast encroaching sliding some portions of the community.
Effects of the flood is visible along Akan Eton Street and other adjourning streets, causing severe hardship and total displacement of residents.
In a letter, titled; Save Our Souls, by the village council of Afaha Oku villages signed by Eteidung Emmanuel Eka and its Secretary, Sipol Cosmos Ebong, which was made available to our correspondent, the community leaders said flood has threatened the foundation of the village as other buildings have collapsed.
The village council which is the host community of the University of Uyo, therefore, passionately appealed to Governor Eno to award contract to rehabilitate the affected roads so as to pave the way for the affected residents to return to their houses.
The letter of the village council to the governor reads in part; “we write to remind you of our earlier report to the State Government on the erosion menace affecting Afaha Oku Community in Uyo Local Government Area which has submerged some buildings and many buildings badly threatened and at the verge of collapsing.
‘‘The worst affected areas are Akpan Eton Street, Nabor Street and their sojourning streets. Akan Eton Street was motorable but today, it is condemned and turned into a very bad gully with some buildings submerged into it.’’
Residents
One of the affected landlords, Mr Titus Jerome Udoh, a retiree ,who had vacated his home, said his house, located at number 8, Akpan Eton Street, off Ekpene Ntan Street, was threatened by erosion when a construction company diverted flood water from Urua Ekpa and its environs into Akpan Eton.
According to him, ‘‘I was forced out of my house as a result of approaching threat of erosion, which has turned Akpan Eton Street into a river and the entrance of my house was badly affected.
Hence, I relocated and stayed with my dependent family members in a rented apartment. “You can imagine what life has become for me and my dependent relatives in a rented apartment for almost five years now.
So, please I am appealing to His Excellency, Governor Umo Eno, to please do anything within his power to restore us to our home.”
Urua Ekpa
In Urua Ekpa, residents have experienced perennial flood for many years, causing them to relocate to other places while their houses submerged in the flood.
One of the victims, who spoke amidst tears, said the condition of the area became worst when the state government awarded flood control contract to Benest Engineering; a local vendor, who messed up the project, resulting in the entire Urua Ekpa community being flood prone.
He disclosed, ‘‘the contractor lacks competence, technical knowhow and necessary skills to handle the project. The state government could not terminate the contract and re-award it to a more competent vendor.
‘‘Now Urua Ekpa Road is impassable while residents have relocated elsewhere. We plead with the state government to come to our rescue and resettle residents of Urua Ekpa community.”
NIMET’s alert
Following its predictions of flooding across 31 states of the country, resulting from rainfall this year, NIMET has not only cautioned Nigerians living in flood prone areas of the danger ahead but also issued ways to prevent flood.
1. Clearing of all drainage systems and proper maintenance to prevent flash flooding during.
2. Clear drainage systems and canals.
3. People living along waterways must clear mud, sand and other debris from their gutters.
(New Telegraph)
Gov Eno Seeks Help For Communities Submerged By Flood
