Take Precautionary Measures against Annual Flooding to Prevent Disaster, HYPPADEC Warns

Ibrahim Oyewale in Lokoja

The Managing Director of Hydro Electric Power Producing Areas Development Commission (HYPPADEC), Abubarka Sadeeq Yelwa, has admonished people living in flood-prone areas to take precautionary measures before raining season.

Yelwa, who gave this advice while speaking at a stakeholders’ meeting with the traditional rulers, community Leaders and residents of riverine communities in Kogi State at Government House in Lokoja, at weekend, said it was better to plan how mitigate the effect of flood than to be affected by the looming dangers.
The HYPPADEC boss explained that it was imperative to take precautionary measures against natural disasters rather that to wait for people to say sorry after preventable incidents had  happened.

According to him, part of measures to be taken was the early warning signs, noting that as soon as heavy rainfall starts, residents of riverine communities were expected to relocate to the higher ground to avoid disasters.

Yelwa, pointed out that climate change or global warming had come to stay. He noted that the Nigeria Meteorological Agency  (NIMET) had earlier predicted that there would be more rainfall in 2023, stressing that the people living along River Niger, Benue and other river banks should not wait for flood before the necessary would be taken.

He disabused the minds of the riverine communities that NIMET early warning was not a threat, but rather an  advice that should be taken seriously to prevent the looming dangers ahead of the pre-ennial flooding in  their various communities .
He added that in the past few years NIMET predictions had been almost 85 per cent correct, adding that more rain would come this year that may culminate into serious flooding higher than that of last year, 2022.

He therefore warned that people should think of relocating to safe high ground and may later return after the raining season, saying that the Government and agencies will not want to sorry for preventable disasters.

He lamented that some of the places earmarked for HYPPADEC intervention in some communities were not accessible hence their demand could not be met by the commission, urging them to look for better locations.

Kogi State government is not relenting in its effort to relocate those living on flood plains, the State Commissioner for Environment ,Victor Omofaye, who represented the State Governor, Yahaya Bello, at the stakeholders meeting disclosed.