NANFeatures/Vol.11/No.99/2017 (July 6)
Preventing flood incident via hydrological services forecasts
A News Analysis by Okon Okon, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)
The Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) recently unveiled the 2017 Flood Outlook to create awareness on impending flooding events and provide information on measures to take to curb flood incidents across the country.
The current edition of the outlook is the fifth edition published by NIHSA to serve as a guide on weather expectations and give necessary advice on what steps to take to manage the weather.
The current edition has, therefore, predicted that there will be flooding in some parts of the country, advising residents of such areas to relocate.
The expected areas of flooding, according to the outlook are Niger, Benue, Sokoto-Rima, Anambra, Cross River, Niger Delta, Yobe, Ogun, Osun and several other sub-river basins across the country.
Unveiling the outlook recently in Abuja, Malam Suleiman Adamu, Minister, Federal Ministry of Water Resources, noted the efforts of the Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NiMet), National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and National Orientation Agency and related agencies for their contributions toward enlightening Nigerians on the dangers of flood.
According to the minister, the 2017 flood outlook presentation and workshop is built on the success of the four previous forecasts by the NIHSA and other agencies.
Adamu observed that the outcome of these forecasts had contributed to the reduction in the incidents of severe flood in the nation by heeding to the warnings by these agencies and government at various levels.
“The dissemination of these forecasts to all parts of the country in a timely manner through the electronics and print media, as well as our sensitisation programmes, have been most helpful,’’ he said.
The minister said: “Indeed, if we are not taking note of flood alert, it is tantamount to negligence and complacency which might eventually lead to catastrophic consequences.
“As we are all aware, flood and other vagaries of nature are inevitable, especially with the phenomenon-climate change.
“This is exacerbated by the actions of man through desertification, carbon emissions, distortions of ecological systems and others.
“ It is necessary for us to manage our environment in such a manner that their damaging effects are mitigated and become less devastating,’’ the minister said.
He also warned residents living in flood-prone areas to desist from activities capable of blocking the drains.
While commending NIHSA for its previous flood outlook achievements, Adamu said the agency’s annual event enabled the country to map out relevant strategies to combat the menace of flood and other natural hazards.
During the presentation of the flood outlook, the Director-General of NIHSA, Dr. Moses Beckley, said the forecast was to get the people aware and enlightened so that they could prepare effectively for what to likely expect from flood incident.
“We in the agency advise those living in these areas to relocate to safety regions having the knowledge of hydrological hazard which floods have caused in previous years in the country,’’ he said.
Beckley, however, assured the public that areas to be affected by flood in 2017 were expected to be lower than that of 2016.
The director-general also advocated the construction of more dams in the country saying, it would go a long way in addressing flooding incidents.
“We have more than 200 dams in the country but we need much more than that, very functional dams.
“That will go a long way in helping us to harness this water very well for various other uses such as power generation, irrigation, water supply and fishery.
“We have dams in the country to help us in this regard such as Kainji dam, Jebba dam and many other dams in the country to help us harness this water, but the truth is that we don’t have enough dams,’’ he said.
In his speech, Dr. Musa Ibrahim, Acting Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Water Resources, highlighted the importance of the flood outlook to creating awareness on pending weather changes to the public.
“I wish to reiterate that the flood outlook is an effort by NIHSA to enlighten the nation, including the key stakeholders, decision and policy makers and farmers, among others.
“This is to ensure timely and adequate preparation towards any probable flood incident to prevent or mitigate its impacts,’’ he said.
Prof. Seidu Onailo, Director-General, National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA), therefore, commended NIHSA’s efforts at educating the masses on hazards posed by flood.
He observed that the flood outlook provided early warning information to all Nigerians from all walks of life.
“We at NASRDA collaborate with NIHSA as we share common goals and ideals which are corroborated by the Memorandum of Understanding signed earlier between the two parties.
“NIHSA is mandated to promote the services of water resources in all aspects of the socio-economic development of Nigeria.
“In doing so, it collects and disseminates hydrological data and information especially when it concerns flooding incidents within and outside the country,’’ he noted.
Similarly, Dr. Anthony Anuforom, Director-General of NiMet, said NIHSA’s flood outlook was cardinal to effective management of flood disaster in Nigeria.
“The flood outlook is an early warning service to inform Nigerians plan adaptation and mitigation measures, following forecast of where and when floods are expected.
He, therefore, advised the public to take the warnings in the current edition of the flood outlook seriously to prevent flood.(NANFeatures)
**If used, please credit the writer as well as News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)