Flood: FG Urged to Adopt Proactive Approach to Avert Disasters

Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt

The federal government has been advised to take the issue of flood seriously in order to avert unforeseen deadly disasters which could occur if proactive action was not taken as the flood incidence continues to increase.

This call was made yesterday, at the Niger Delta Climate Change conference, organised by Lekeh Development Foundation (LDP) in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

Speaking in an interview with THISDAY at the programme, the Executive Director, Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), Dr. Nnimmo Bassey, stressed that if the government does not go beyond warning the people and providing safety measures, the outcome of this year’s disaster could be worse than previous years.

Bassey, who noted that over 600 Nigerians died in the last flood incidents, urged the government to proffer sustainable solution ahead of the serious downpour.

He lamented that, “The role of the government, is to provide security for its people. People are not secured in the flood. Security is not only putting policemen to carry guns, to set road blocks on the highways, giving the people a liveable environment is a right of the people, it is a right in the Nigerian constitution and a right in Africa Charter for Human and Peoples Right.

“If government cannot go beyond warning people that flood is coming to provide alternative, to provide security, safety measures, to provide relief materials, to compensate those who been impacted over the years, then it is a failure on the part of the government.

“The last flooding killed 603 Nigerians by official count, one million people were displaced. That, to me is a tragedy that requires action. But up till now, we have not seen any action. So if government just wants to be government of public statement, then it is a shame on all of them. They have to wake up to do something because the flood is coming again.”

On his part, a Niger Delta-based human rights defender, Celestine Akpobari, described as unfortunate the issue of flooding and its effect being discussed yearly without solution to the crisis.

Akpobari, who frown at governments’ approach to flooding disaster across the country, said, “a government that care about the people should have known that they will build a very big IDP camp where people will go to when the flood comes.”

He urged the government to take the flooding seriously by creating alternative farming system for the affected.

“You will not stop the people farming and looking for their livelihood. The best thing a government that cares about the people should do is to begin to alter the pattern of farming in this area.

“If they were farming yam and cassava that will take from January to October for harvest, you channel their energy into commercial cash crops (those crops that can stay three months).

“What is happening now is that these people in ignorance,” he said.

Earlier, in his remarks, Executive Director of Lekeh Development Foundation (LDF), Nbani Friday Barilule, stated that climate change had caused great damage to communities in the oil rich Niger Delta region.