By Victor Bieni, Asaba
Delta Online Publishers Forum (DOPF) led by its Chairman, Comrade Emmanuel Ochonogor has proferred Solutions to two burning issues Delta State and Nigeria in general, which bothers on oil theft and endemic Flood menace in Nigeria as urges governments to rise up to its responsibilities towards ensuring adequate protection of lives, property and citizens as well as National Assets for Socio-economic development of the country.
Our reporter was one of the observers that witnessed the DOPF media Hangout yesterday being on Tuesday, 18th October, 2022 in Asaba, Delta State capital as group traces origin of flood menace in Nigeria; critically explored various logical, analytical, narrative, explanative concepts to Profer solutions to the ravaging effects of flood menace in Delta State and Nigeria in general.
The two-man discussants and a moderator led by the Deputy General Manager-Editorial, Pointer Newspaper, Mrs Henrietta Oyahkilome, Former National President, National Association of Delta State Students (Worldwide), NADETSU, Comrade Donald Igudia, a staff of National Orientation Agency and Publisher of Spadeng, Comrade Abel John Gold, DOPF National Vice President, Abiandu and other members of DOPF had called on Delta State Government, and Federal Government to wake up to its responsibilities, put up measures to respond to early warnings of NIMET and other State and National Orientation Agencies so as to protect lives and property of citizens going by the current ravaging effects of flood menace in the State and Nigeria in general.
Flood is an environmental problem, an age-old phenomenon. Flooding is a significant rise of water level in a stream, lake, reservoir, or coastal system that overflows the banks. Flood is a natural or man-made disaster that causes discomforts, destruction of lives and property as well as pollution; which can either be river flooding, Coastal flooding, urban flooding as one of the most common environmental hazard in Nigeria. No doubt, there is increasing vulnerability of populations and Infrastructure to flooding and other related hazards.
DOPF while commiserating with the victims of flood in Delta and Nigeria in general over the discomforts, the destruction of lives and their properties and other disease outbreaks following the ravaging flood menace, used the opportunity to enjoin Governments at all levels to always be sensitive, be prepared and proactive enough to combat menace on time by building IDP across the local governments, States or country before the occurrence so as to avoid more loss of lives by heeding to the early warning of NIMET and other States and Federal Orientation agencies.
The discussants bemoaned the fact that Governments had not been sensitive to the plight of Nigerians, therefore used the medium to call on Nigerian Government to revive, complete the Dams being constructed by the Federal Government in Adamawa State Nigeria in line with the understanding, agreement the country had with Camaroun before their Dams were constructed in 1977 as group traced the origin of flood menace in Nigeria as group alleged that Buhari’s first Military Government stopped the construction then. DOPF therefore, appealed to the Federal Government to complete the project and as well construct more Dams to solve the problem of endemic flood menace in the country.
The said, “investigations revealed that the opening of the Dam in Camaroun after the water has reached the maximum level, in a larger quantity the rise had to flow down to Nigerian rivers, especially the River Niger and River Benue resulting to Flood menace in Nigeria and consistently caused unquantifiable loss of lives and property, diseases, pollutions in the country a case study of 2012, 2016 and 2022, an agreement as reached by Camarounian Government with Nigeria”.
The discussants: Oyahkilome, Igudia, John Gold and other DOPF observers, while exploring various ways to solve the endemic flood menace that has ravaged Delta State, and Nigeria in general. DOPF leadership also, appealed to Governments all levels to put measures early enough, heed to the warning of NIMET, Orientation Agencies by mobilizing funds, partner with other critical stakeholders to build Camps for internally displaced Persons (IDP Camps).
The leadership has also urged the Governments to monitor the activities of the Flood Committees in the various IDP Camps to avoid politicians enriching themselves with the sorrows of other Deltans, Nigerians as this is in line with reports from victims. Also that States should construct their own Dams to curtail flood menace, Federal Government should as a matter of urgency dredge the River Niger and River Benue, media should stop undue glorification of politicians upon disbursement of relief materials to victims of flood, Governments to show proactiveness by empowering SEMA, NEMA early enough to curtail hazards to prevent further occurrence in the nearest future.