Over 70 per cent of Nigerians risk flood this year, says NESREA

NESREA Director General Mrs. Ngeri Benebo said at a one-day town hall meeting on “Sanitation/Flood Mitigation” held in Abakaliki that the Nigerian populace were at risk of both man-made and natural floods which are caused by poor sanitation and blockage of waterways.She added that the natural floods which are occasioned by heavy rainfall could be […]

NESREA Director General Mrs. Ngeri Benebo said at a one-day town hall meeting on “Sanitation/Flood Mitigation” held in Abakaliki that the Nigerian populace were at risk of both man-made and natural floods which are caused by poor sanitation and blockage of waterways.
She added that the natural floods which are occasioned by heavy rainfall could be curtailed if people do not block or build on waterways; improve sanitation and tree planting around their surroundings.
She said that the town meeting became imperative so as to brainstorm on how to reduce the impact of the predicted flood.
According to her, “This agency has followed the directive of Mr President in organising this townhall meeting across Nigeria with the purpose of recruiting armies of men, women, youth, children and even elderly Nigerians on ways of preventing, controlling and mitigating flooding.
“Going by what happened last year, and the fact that more than 70 per cent of the populace are at risk this year of both man-made flood caused by poor sanitation and blockage of waterways, especially in the urban areas, natural flood on its part is caused by heavy rainfall which is as a result of climate change”, she explained.
Ngeri lamented the economic damage caused by this year’s first flood incident in Ebonyi, pointing out that it is the responsibility of the  people of the state to avoid building on flood plains and water channels.
Dr. Ngeri who was represented by NESREA Ebonyi State Coordinator, Mrs. Mfon Nkanang,  urged Nigerians to imbibe the culture of growing at least four trees at their environment  and as well encourage others to do so.
Earlier, the Dean Faculty of Law, Ebonyi State University, Prof  Amari Omaka, had explained that man-made activities such as building on waterways  and farming near rivers still remain the major challenges that must be addressed by government.