Group warns on health risks of flooding

The Safe Water Global Initiative has issued a strong warning about the serious public health risks associated with recent flooding across the country.  The organization’s founder, Francis Uzoma, emphasized the critical need for access to clean water in affected communities. According to Uzoma, the floodwaters have contaminated local water sources, leaving many citizens, especially those […]

The Safe Water Global Initiative has issued a strong warning about the serious public health risks associated with recent flooding across the country. 

The organization’s founder, Francis Uzoma, emphasized the critical need for access to clean water in affected communities.

According to Uzoma, the floodwaters have contaminated local water sources, leaving many citizens, especially those in rural areas, without access to safe water for drinking and other household needs. 

“The implication of the flooding is that some Nigerians will have access only to unsafe water,” he said. “This has consequences for their health because it can result in outbreaks of cholera and other water-related diseases.”

Uzoma highlighted the importance of preventive measures to reduce these risks. He urged communities to move people from flood-prone areas to safer locations and called on authorities to provide safe water, sanitation, and hygiene facilities. “If this is done, we can reduce the dangers significantly,” he stated.

He also noted that although the government has issued scientific warnings about the floods, these alerts are often not taken seriously at the community level. Uzoma stressed the need for local governments and residents to heed these warnings to avoid tragic loss of life.

Uzoma noted that the persistent lack of potable water in rural areas makes the health risks even more severe. “Nigerians have a right to safe water, it is a human right,” he said, urging the government to prioritize water supply.

He also called on private companies and development partners to assist in these efforts by focusing their corporate social responsibility initiatives on water, sanitation, and hygiene. “These efforts will go a long way in reducing water stress,” he explained.