President Muhammadu Buhari has directed the Minister of Water Resources, Mr Suleiman Hussein Adamu, to lead and coordinate with the Ministries of Environment and Transportation as well as state governments to develop a comprehensive plan of action for preventing flood disaster in Nigeria.
The order was contained in a statement issued by Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, on Monday.
It said the president’s directive, which was conveyed to the minister in a letter signed by his Chief of Staff, Professor Ibrahim Gambari, said the plan should be presented to him in 90 days. According to the statement, Buhari is regularly receiving updates on the flooding situation in the country and has restated his commitment towards addressing the challenges caused by the disaster in the country.
This year’s floods in the country are thought to be the worst in a decade with over 1.4 million people reported to have been forced out of their homes, over 70,000 hectares of farmlands destroyed and more than 500 people killed.
Meanwhile, Lagos State government on Monday warned all waterfront residents of Ikoyi, Lekki and Victoria Island and coastal areas of Epe and Badagry to be wary of back-flow due to the high tide in the Lagos lagoon.
In a statement, the Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tunji Bello, explained that the latest advisory became necessary due to the high tide of the Lagos lagoon.
Bello stressed that the high tide of the lagoon has made it difficult for storm run-off from the various channels to discharge effectively into the lagoon, which may cause stagnation into the streets and major roads until the level of the lagoon subsides to allow for a discharge of the channels.
He described the trending video of the water level under the Third Mainland Bridge almost being filled to the brim as fake news, stating that the video only captures the Oworonshoki end of the Third Mainland Bridge, which is normal because the area is a deck on pile.
He cautioned people, especially those on the social media, against sending messages across to residents capable of creating unnecessary anxiety among the people.
The statement advised residents of the affected areas in Lagos Island and other coastal areas to monitor the incidental rains regularly, ensure situational awareness at all times, refrain from dumping refuse in the drains and clean their tertiary drains regularly.
He reiterated the earlier flood advisory issued by the state to the effect that all those on the banks of Ogun river, especially residents of Ketu, Alapere, Agric, Owode Onirin, Ajegunle, Alagbole, Kara, Isheri Olowora, Araromi, Otun Orisha community, Agiliti, Maidan, Mile 12, Odo Ogun, Owode Elede, Agboyi 1, Agboyi II and Agboyi III to remain vigilant at these periods.
