2012 flood: Nigeria incurred N2.6trn economic losses

According to the agency, a total of 363 deaths were recorded in the incident that displaced a total of 2.1 million people while 5,970 houses were submerged in the 256 local government areas of the country affected by the flooding incidents.This information was made public as stakeholders met in Ibadan on Tuesday to seek ways […]

According to the agency, a total of 363 deaths were recorded in the incident that displaced a total of 2.1 million people while 5,970 houses were submerged in the 256 local government areas of the country affected by the flooding incidents.
This information was made public as stakeholders met in Ibadan on Tuesday to seek ways to ensure prevention of flooding, using the predictions of NIMET at the South-West Zonal Awareness Flood Campaign Towards Early Warning and Early Action for MDAs, NGOs, CBOs and FBOs Level of Preparedness.
Addressing participants, NEMA South-West coordinator, Mr. Iyiola Akande, said the meeting was to analyse the public announcement of NIMET’S Seasonal Rainfall Prediction (SRP) early in the year.
While noting that the prediction painted a more serious picture of what the nation should expect this year when compared to the devastating effect of the 2012 flood, the coordinator enjoined all and sundry to take preventive measures to guard against being caught unawares.
He commended the efforts of “the various governments across the six states of the South West for the great works that they were carrying out to safeguard the lives and property of the people.”
“A testimony of this show of concern to the welfare of the people is the fact that the 2012 flooding that seriously impacted the lives and livelihoods of above 23 states across the country did not seriously affect the people of the South West.  That is not because the rains were not as heavy here, but because of remedial measures already put in place by the various governments to control the situation,” he added.
Oyo State Commissioner for Environment and Habitat, Mr. Lowo Obisesan, noted that with a lot of effort on the part of all the stakeholders, flooding would not only be controlled but prevented.
The commissioner who was represented by the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Mrs. Modupe Omonigbehin, stated that, “If we are all ready to give what it takes, if rivers and streams are allowed to go through their channels without obstruction, we can be rest assured that flooding would be prevented.”
Participants at the workshop were drawn from the entire states in the South West zone including Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ekiti and Ondo States.