Flood: NEMA asks residents of Edo communities along River Niger to relocate

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) in Edo state has asked residents of communities along the River Niger to relocate to higher ground. 

The call is due to the increase in rainfall and projected flooding across some states, especially those in flood-prone areas.

Dahiru Yusuf, NEMA head of operations, who spoke on Monday in Benin, the Edo state capital, said residents living in flood-prone areas are unwilling to leave their ancestral homes.

“We advise the people to relocate from the flood areas because when it comes, it will be devastating,” he said.

“But, we are finding it difficult to get them to move; lots of them don’t want to go to the camp.

“They don’t want to leave their ancestral home to a safer place where the government would provide necessary facilities pending when the flood subsides.

“They should ensure that drainages are cleared and not blocked, adhere to building plans, because we have discovered some of the floods, especially not in the river bank are as a result of one construction or the other.”

Yusuf added that the agency is working to ensure that the state’s internally displaced person (IDP) camps are in good shape, fumigated and with necessary amenities to ensure they are habitable in case of a flood.

He said the agency had already commenced sensitizing the local emergency committee on what to do to mitigate the effects of the flood.

Also speaking, Helen Obayuwana, head of Edo state emergency management agency (SEMA), said the government is worried as NIMET prediction had added three additional LGAs prone to flooding in the state.

She said adequate drainage systems and well-maintained canals could help channel water safely and prevent catastrophic flooding.

“We must recognize that flood prevention is key and by investing in robust infrastructure, early warning systems, and land-use planning, we can significantly reduce the vulnerability of our communities to floods,” Obayuwana said.

She encouraged individuals and communities to take step to safeguard their homes, adding that flood preparedness, mitigation and response was not the responsibility of governments and emergency response services alone.