From John Adams, Minna
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has warned flood-prone communities in Niger state to relocate from low land to high ground to avoid being swept away as the state has been listed among the high-risk states for flood disaster in the country.
In addition to this, the Agency also advised religious, traditional and youth leaders to sensitise the people on the need to clean the drainages and avoid dumping refuse on waterways so as to reduce the risk of flooding this year as the rain approaches.
NEMA Coordinator in charge of Niger and Kwara States, Hajiya Zaynab Ahmed Sadiu, gave the warning in Minna, the Niger state capital when she spoke at a stakeholders interactive session organised by the Hydro Power Producing Area Development Commission (HYPPADEC).
While emphasising the need for flood-prone communities to be vigilant, she noted that both human and natural causes are responsible for the yearly devastating floods.
According to her, one of the greatest challenges is the refusal of communities to adhere to early warning, adding that “that is why we are appealing to religious, traditional and youth leaders to help sensitise the people to avoid being swept away.”
Earlier the Managing Director of HYPPADEC.Alhaji Sadiq Yelwa has said that forecast by relevant Agencies has shown that some communities in the country may experience flooding this year and therefore called on the people to brace up for the challenges.
On its part, he disclosed that the Hydro Power Producing Area Development Commission is planning to distribute high Yielding seedlings to farmers in flood-prone areas to curtail their annual losses.
He explained that the experiment had become necessary due to the annual losses suffered by farmers as a result of flooding.
According to him, it has become necessary for the commission to partner with agricultural research institutes to procure high Yielding seedlings for farmers who are in flood-prone areas to plant early and harvest their crops before the water level rises and destroys farmlands.
“We notice that, no matter the pleading some of our people will refuse to relocate to the upland area therefore all we can do for them is to give them high Yielding seedlings to plant and harvest within a short period before the effect of the perennial devastating floods.
“That way our farmers can be able to have something to fall back to after the flooding each year and protect their economic activities.”
He also revealed that the commission is to construct thirty-four classroom blocks in seventeen local government Areas of Niger State under its education intervention scheme.
Alhaji Sadiq Yelwa said a block of classrooms has already been constructed in each of the 17 local government areas while the contract for the additional classroom block will be awarded in the next few days.