Government launches flood warning system

As part of efforts to mitigate and control incessant flooding in the country, the federal government on Tuesday launched an automated Web-based Flood Early Warning System (FEWS).

Anyim Pius Anyim, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, at the launch of the new technology in Abuja, stated that annual flooding experienced in most parts of the country have caused agonising human suffering and destruction of residential, agricultural, huge economic and industrial resources.

“To effectively combat this effect of climate change for sustainable development, food security and wellbeing of Nigerians, the federal government has, through the Ministry of Environment and in collaboration with United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), put in place some institutional arrangement and mechanism for the establishment and operations of flood early warning system,” he said.

“The launch of the automated Web-based Flood Early Warning System today (Tuesday) marks the federal government’s undaunted commitment to flood management in the country. This non-structural approach to flood incidence becomes imperative in the face of increasing flood incidence.”

The automated Web-based Flood Early Warning system is designed to forewarn on the likelihood of flooding, thereby providing effective solution that will not only enhance the operations of relevant institution but has very high potential of reducing flood damage.

The SGF, who was represented by Bukar Tijani, Minister of State for Agriculture, also said flooding could have been prevented or, at best, mitigated.

He said the quest for development, without adequate knowledge of the negative consequences of human activities, was largely responsible for these disasters.

“Uncontrolled urban and rural development coupled with inadequate provision or blockage of drainage and canals with solid wastes, soil sediments are some of these activities,” he said.

Blame poverty

Others, he said, are unplanned and informal settlements along river flood plains. He gave as example the domestic and commercial street sweepers who engage in sweeping wastes and sand into drains and drainage grids.

Hadiza Ibrahim Mailafia, Minister of Environment, stated that the recent floods and their devastating effects on lives and properties in the country, especially in Lagos, Kano and Katsina, have brought home the need to put in operation effective flood management strategies.

“The menace of floods and erosion must be tackled by the joint efforts of all stakeholders, hence this public presentation of the automated web-based FEWS, its objective being to create awareness on the readiness of the federal ministry of environment to forecast the likelihood of floods so that in addition to other flood mitigating methods, our nation will be better equipped to prevent loss of lives and properties and save the environment,” she said.

Daouda Toure, UNDP Resident Representative, said the impacts of flood and flooding are usually environmental deterioration, which makes people more vulnerable to famine, diseases, impoverishment and landlessness.

He said poverty itself leads to poor urban planning, with houses built along the water ways and poor waste management that result in dumping of refuse in waterways.