Flood: NOA Urges Anambra Residents To Relocate To Upland
The National Orientation Agency (NOA) has called on people residing on the river bank and flood prone areas in Anambra to move to upland areas to avert being trapped in the impending flood.
Mallam Lanre Omilliu, the Director General of NOA, gave the advice in Ogbaru during a flood safety sensitisation tour to the state on Friday.
Omilliu who was represented by Nuru Kobi, the Director Planning, Research ans Strategy, Abuja said the riverine communities should make plans to move to the higher grounds for safety of their lives and property.
Recall that the Cameroonian authorities had warned that the Lagdo Dam was overflowing and would be opened to release water which would cause significant rise in water level and flooding.
The people living along the banks of Rivers Niger and River Benue are among those who suffer from the flooding.
He said priority should be accorded to women and children.
‘We call on you on riverine areas to immediately begin to stockpile essential emergency supplies like food, water, medicines, and first aid kits as well as evacuate from flood prone areas without further delay.
“Cameroonian authorities has started releasing the water since Sept. 17 and water level in Rivers Niger and Benue has increased.
“In 2012 and 2022 Nigeria lost over 600,000 people to flood incidents and over 10,000 houses submerged as a result of the opening of the Lagdo dam,” he said.
Kobi said the Federal Government would not want to allow people to experience the same negative impact hence the urgent need to sensitise the people to move to a safer side.
He said about five million cubic meters of water would be released by the Cameroonian authorities adding that most flood incidents began in the night.
On his part, Mr Edozie Ajaegbu, the Director of NOA in Anambra state, said they were already on ground in all the local government areas which used to experience flooding.
He said NOA was using Community Orientation and Mobilisation Officers to educate the people on how to navigate in the case of any flood incident .
Chief Emma Obi, the President General of Ohita Community who spoke on behalf of Ogbaru people said the people in the area had continually suffered submerge of farmlands, houses and loss of lives during flooding.
Obi commended the agency for the early warnings and sensitisation, appealed to the Federal Government to consider finding a lasting solution to the seasonal disaster.
“The Federal Government can construct dams and create embankments on the river banks as a permanent solution,” he said.
