By Edwin Philip, Lafia
The Nasarawa State Government has urged residents of flood-prone communities to heed warnings to relocate from low-lying areas to higher ground to avoid being swept away by recurring floods.
The Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Dr Nawani Aboki, made the appeal on Monday while briefing journalists on the recent flooding that submerged 18 communities in a development area of Doma Local Government Area of the state.
Aboki said two people had died in the disaster, while several residents had been displaced and buildings and farmlands destroyed.
He said Governor Abdullahi Sule had directed the Director-General of the Nasarawa State Emergency Management Agency (NASEMA) to visit the affected communities to assess the extent of the damage and identify the necessary interventions.
The commissioner said the government was expected to take concrete action following the assessment.
“We are hoping that anytime this week, concrete actions will be taken by the government. Yesterday, when I was returning, I was there with the chairman of the local government to sympathise with the people and also condole with them,” he said.
Describing the incident as massive flooding, Aboki expressed hope that the water would recede to allow residents to resume their normal activities.
“It is not just normal flooding, but massive flooding that took place. We are hoping that the flooding will end and the waters will dry up so that people can resume their normal activities,” he said.
He, however, warned residents against returning to their homes until the floodwaters had receded, citing concerns about the possibility of additional water flowing from the Lagdo Dam in Cameroon.
“But we have asked them not to go back yet. Let them wait until we see the water actually receding back to the River Benue again. We are not sure if more water will be coming in from the Lagdo Dam in Cameroon. It will even be worse than it is currently,” he added.
Aboki also reiterated the government’s commitment to providing support and relief supplies to the affected communities to prevent possible disease outbreaks.
He explained that several smaller communities were clustered around larger settlements in the affected areas, increasing the pressure on host communities as displaced residents sought shelter.
The commissioner cited Agyma, where more than eight communities were reportedly staying within the larger settlement, and Rukubi and Akpanaja, where several communities were also clustered.
The government said it would continue to assess the situation and determine the necessary interventions as residents await the recession of the floodwaters.
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