Stakeholders Seek Community Partnership to Manage Flood Disasters

Stakeholders in environmental management have urged communities to collaborate with the three tiers of government to manage flood disasters in Nigeria.

The environmentalists made the call at a Junior Chambers International (JCI) Senate Association reunion programme in Yenagoa, the capital of Bayelsa State, south-south Nigeria.

One of the speakers at the event, the Executive Secretary, Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Mr. Simbi Wabote speaking on the theme Perennial Flooding in Nigeria: Causes and Sustainable Solutions for National Development said that tackling the global phenomenon required a collective effort.

Wabote, who acknowledged that unlike other parts of Nigeria and the world experiencing flood disasters, the case of Bayelsa State was pathetic due to the overwhelming devastation on livelihoods, health and well beings of families including closure of schools.

He said, “the consequences of flooding in Bayelsa State is really grave because as we see it, there is loss of livelihood, families are displaced, schools are shutdown and the rest of them. So, I think the call to participate in this workshop is the need to be focused in making concerted efforts to address the issue of flooding in the state.

“Bayelsa State is not only singled out because most states in the Niger Delta are also affected, but discussion has started somewhere. The body decided to say we need to pay more attention perhaps the devastation resulting from flooding is a lot more in Bayelsa. In Nigeria, the entire rivers Niger and Benue drains down to Bayelsa State in particular,” Wabote reasoned.

Governments commitment

He further suggested that the Bayelsa State government be committed to addressing the challenges of flooding rather than pay lip service and urged interventionists agencies of government such as the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, National Emergency Management Agency and the state counterpart SEMA as well as others to strategically plough in resources to alleviate the sufferings of the people.

“We all know the effect of exploration of hydro carbon and its consequences. It is proper to ameliorate the sufferings of the people.

“These agencies were set up to provide interventions at times like this. I think they need to be redirected to focus on issues of flooding and other strategic needs as opposed to constructing roads to peoples houses,” he stressed.

The guest lecturer, who is an engineer, Mr. Ebi Wodu listed the causes and types of floods to include river, coastal, flash and urbanization.

Wodu suggested that the most important matter concerning flood management should be finding lasting solutions to the problem in Bayelsa and Nigeria as a whole to reduce impact on the people since it cannot be eradicated entirely.

He further urged individuals, communities and government at all levels to collaborate to manage flood disasters.

Earlier, the chairman of Junior Chambers International (JCI) Mr. Oluwarotimi Adewole said that the organizations primary role was to interface with state governments on issues affecting citizens.