Nasarawa State Governor Tanko Al-Makura has said that flood prevention is not only the responsibility of the government but also of the people.
To this end, the governor cautioned residents of the state against indiscriminate disposal of refuse on water channels so as to prevent blockage.
He gave the warning while inspecting the ongoing construction of Angwan Hashimu road extension in Mararaba, Karu Local Government Area of the state.
Governor Al-Makura attributed the recent cases of flooding in some parts of the country to indiscriminate refuse disposal and blockage of water channels.
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He said: “Attitudinal change on the part of Nigerians would go a long way to avert a repeat of the 2012 devastation caused by flooding in the country. Efforts at checking flooding is a collective responsibility, the government would need the collaboration of all citizens in various communities to achieve any meaningful result”.
The governor stressed further that community efforts aimed at clearing drains and canals were crucial to mitigate the consequences of flooding.
“This administration is working to tackle erosion and avert flood disasters through the construction of canal and drains. The government has earmarked N1.7 billion for the construction of canals and drains in Lafia and its environs”, he said.
Some states in the country have been hit by floods recently, following predictions by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) and the Nigerian Hydrological Service Agency (NIHSA).
The Ogun State government had said it was putting necessary measures in place to stem impending flood disaster in the state.
The Director, Ogun State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Mr Sakirulah Adebakin, stated that the government had embarked on several sensitization programmes to educate the people on the need to refrain from environmental unfriendly dispositions such as dumping of refuse in drainage and building houses on waterways among others.
