House Urges Government To Adopt Flood Control Measures

The House of Representatives has appealed to the Federal Ministries of Water Resources and Environment to direct the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency to adopt measures aimed at preventing the incidence of flooding across the country.

The House also called on the Nigerian Government through the Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation, to commence the distilling of the major dams and rivers in the nation to prevent excessive flooding.

These resolutions was sequel to the adoption of a motion by Mohammed Shehu, lawmaker representing Zaki Federal Constituency of Bauchi State on Wednesday at plenary.

In his lead debate, the lawmaker stressed that the dredging of Nigeria’s major dams and rivers was crucial to reducing the devastating impact of floods on farmers and their crops.

He expressed concern that government’s neglect in assisting farmers to address flooding challenges has hindered the implementation of adequate drainage strategies to control flooding.

“This negligence has also contributed to insufficient flood control measures, inadequate compensation for farmers’ losses, and inefficient water resource management.

“The House is aware that developed countries like the United States, the United Kingdom, and South Africa have made flood control through proper drainage systems, a key objective of their administrations to safeguard the environment, improve food security, and ensure sustainability,” the motion said.

He highlighted that proper dredging of dams and rivers would promote irrigation farming, leading to increased food production for both local consumption and export.

“This, in turn, would contribute significantly to economic development,” he stated.

He also raised alarm over the perennial annual floods, which he said, “Have destroyed farmers’ efforts, resulting in losses worth billions of naira and posing significant risks due to government inaction.”

The lawmaker cited statistics from the National Bureau of Statistics which revealed that between 2018 and 2020, over N2.8tn worth of crops were lost due to flooding.

“The House is worried that 80 per cent of Nigerian farmers have suffered significant crop losses, leading to debt and an exodus from farming. Farmers who have taken out loans from financial institutions are finding it increasingly difficult to repay them due to flood-related losses,” he noted.

The House unanimously adopted the motion and mandated the House Committees on Water Resources, Environment, and Agricultural Production and Services to collaborate with the Ministers of Water Resources, and Agriculture and Food Security to propose solutions to the challenges and report back within four weeks for further legislative action.

Confidence Okwuchi