The Honourable Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation (FMWR&S), Engr. Prof. Joseph Terlumun Utsev FNSE, FNIWE, has called on State and Local Government Councils and the general public to intensify and step up efforts for averting flood related-disasters in their domains as the country approaches the peak of the rainy season.

The Minister was speaking at the Ministerial Press Briefing held at the Ministry’s Conference room in Abuja on Thursday 4th July, 2024.

He noted that about 10 States of the Federation and the FCT have started experiencing varying levels of flooding and its associated disasters. He said rainfall increase both in frequency and intensity, particularly in southern part of the country, will increase the level of flooding and may worsen the ravaging cholera outbreak.

Engr. Utsev explained that the flood incidents recorded so far were flash/urban floods resulting from high rainfall intensities of long duration and poor drainage systems in the urban areas and their metropolis.

According to the Minister, Kainji and Jebba Dams on River Niger are still impounding water into their reservoirs, while the Shiroro Dam on River Kaduna is equally impounding water, emphasizing that there’s no release of water yet from any of the dams within and outside Nigeria.

Additionally, he informed that the flow station at Wuroboki on River Benue in Adamawa State is relatively normal at this time, and no water releases into the Benue River Basin. “Lagdo Dam is currently filling the Dam for hydropower generation while the proposed Dasin-Hausa Dam in Adamawa State is at advanced stage in the procurement process. The dam is to checkmate the water releases from Cameroon”, he noted.

Concluding, the Minister urged the States and the general public to take heed to the advice given in the 2024 Prediction, Annual Flood Outlook (AFO), of the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA), and also take necessary measures to prevent the ugly flooding menace of the past years.

In the same vein, the Honourable Minister of State for Water Resources and Sanitation, Rt. Hon. Bello Muhammad Goronyo, Esq, who also is the Chairman Technical Working Group of the Presidential Committee on Flood, informed that the new Presidential Committee on Flood by the present Administration was formed to allign with missing variables in the 2023 Flood Committee Report, notably, erosion, drought and desertification.

Emphasizing on extensive deliberations and meetings with other relevant agencies saddled with the responsibility of flooding in Nigeria, Hon. Goronyo informed that the Technical Working Group has submitted the report to the National Economic Council (NEC), Chaired by the Nigeria Vice President, Kashim Shettima and the Report has been approved and in the stage of implementation.

On his part, the Director General/CEO Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA), Engr. Clement Nze, FNSE, reiterated on the public presentation of the 2024 Annual Flood Outlook (AFO) by the Agency in April, emphasizing that NIHSA’s function to the public is basically advisory.

He noted that the Agency had stakeholders meeting and sent AFO document to States and Local Government Councils with names of local government areas that are likely to be impacted by flooding. This serves as measures to prevent and mitigate the menace of flooding across the states.

Emphasizing on the issue of enforcement, the DG asserted that the State Town Planning Authorities, Ministries of Environment and other state authorities are to ensure proper enforcement by making sure all structures obstructing the free flow of run-offs are removed to prevent ugly flooding menace.