By Palma Ileye
Dr. Comfort Asokoro-Ogaji, a distinguished environmental advocate and management staff of Richflood International, an environmental sustainability firm, has issued a stark warning following the Federal Government’s recent announcement regarding the prediction of flooding in 31 states across Nigeria.
In a press release issued, the forecast, which highlights the high flood-risk areas and the expected impact on communities, agriculture, and infrastructure, underscores the urgent need for proactive measures to mitigate the looming disaster.
In response to the forecast, Dr. Asokoro-Ogaji emphasized the critical importance of swift and decisive action to safeguard lives and property in the affected regions.
“The Federal Government’s warning serves as a wake-up call for all stakeholders to prioritize preparedness and resilience-building efforts,” Asokoro-Ogaji stated.
According to the forecast, the high flood-risk States include Adamawa, Akwa-Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Imo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, and Yobe.
Dr. Asokoro-Ogaji highlighted the seasonal outlook, noting that the high flood-risk areas are expected to experience significant flooding between April and November 2024. This flooding is anticipated to have severe impacts on population, agriculture, livelihoods, livestock, infrastructure, and the environment.
Additionally, Dr. Asokoro-Ogaji pointed out that 72 Local Government Areas, LGAs, across the country fall within the high flood-risk areas between April and June, while 135 LGAs are at risk between July and September, and 44 LGAs are at risk between October and November 2024.
For areas categorized under moderate flood risk, Dr. Asokoro-Ogaji emphasized that these regions would witness moderate flooding between April and November 2024. This moderate impact level flooding is expected to affect parts of 63 LGAs between April and June, parts of 221 LGAs between July and September, and parts of 100 LGAs between October and November 2024.
She concluded by urging all levels of government, as well as relevant stakeholders, to collaborate and take proactive measures to mitigate the potential impact of flooding in the identified high-risk areas.
“We must act swiftly and decisively to protect our communities and build resilience against the looming threat of floods,” emphasized Dr. Asokoro-Ogaji.
