By Peter Uwumarogie
The Gombe State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) has appealed to residents of the state to heed all precautionary measures on flooding as a way of mitigating its impact in their communities.
Mr Mohammed Garba, Director Relief and Rehabilitation, Gombe SEMA, made the appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Gombe on Monday.
Garba said the agency has been sensitising the people and providing necessary information needed to mitigate disasters associated with flooding.
He said that part of what the agency expected from residents was to stop dumping wastes in drainages and waterways, “a major factor contributing to flooding especially when drainages are blocked and the huge volume of water create different routes for itself”.
The director said that the recent flooding experienced on May 14, in Bajoga in Funakaye Local Government Areas, was partly as a result of wastes dumped in drainages.
He explained that SEMA’s analysis of the flooding in Bajoga showed that the damage was severe as both residents and houses were affected.
“There is a location where we have a big gully developing as a result of volume of water, and this happened because residents dump their wastes inside the drainages in that area.
“As a result of that flooding in Bajoga, more than 40 houses were affected and no fewer than 21 persons were injured.
“This is why we are appealing to residents to cooperate with us and stop dumping wastes in drainages or building on water ways.
“Through community efforts, drainages blocked should be cleared so that rain water can flow freely in the channels provided for such purposes,” he said.
On the flood outlook for Gombe State, the director said that unlike in 2022 when one LGA was predicted to experience flooding, in 2023, Balanga, Nafada and Yamaltu/Deba LGAs were among the 178 LGAs in 32 states “highly probable to flooding”.
“The stake is a bit higher than that of previous year and that is why we are engaging critical stakeholders for continue with the sensitisation and engagement to mitigate flood impact in the state.”
The director said that the massive sensitisation campaign was ordered by Gov. Inuwa Yahaya after analysis of the flood outlook.
Garba said that based on the directive, sensitisation had been intensified across the three LGAs, while efforts were on to cover other areas across the state.
He added that the message of the sensitisation had always been on the need for people to desist from building on water ways and dumping wastes in drainages.
“No one can stop flooding entirely but we can all mitigate its impact,” he said. (NAN)
