An Environmental Expert, Mr Yahaya Mohammed, on Friday called on relevant stakeholders to carry out massive awareness campaign to sensitize people living in flood-prone areas to relocate, to avert disaster from eminent flooding.
Mohammed, Controller General, Safety Awareness and Environmental Support Initiative (SAEASI) made in Kaduna .
He noted that while some flooding in parts of the state was natural, the larger incidents were man-made due to blockage of drainages.
He added that the blockage was through indiscriminate refuse disposal, a behaviour that must be curtailed through awareness campaign to reduce flooding in the state, especially in urban areas.
Mohammed particularly frowned at the irrational behaviour of people who build on river banks, water logged areas and water ways, thereby putting their houses at risk of being flooded.
“Building in such areas is dangerous and can cause havoc to the community, affecting not only the person that caused it but the entire neighbourhood, especially vulnerable children.
“Relevant stakeholders must be proactive and embark on massive sensitization of members of the public against building on water ways and those who already built to vacate the area to avoid preventable death and loss of property to flooding,” he said.
On desilting of drainages, Mohammed urged the state government to empower relevant agencies to effectively enforce environmental laws to ensure compliance.
According to him, some of the flood incidents will be averted with full enforcement and compliance to environmental laws.
He commended Christian Aid for installing gauge in some communities in the state to assist in flood mitigation.
Mohammed appealed to the government and other stakeholders to replicate such in other communities in order to save lives and properties. NAN
