The House of Representatives (reps) has encouraged the federal and state governments to prepare for looming floods.
This follows on the heels of a resolution of urgent significance introduced by Honorable Femi Gbajabiamila, soon before resigning from the House of Representatives to take up his job as President’s Chief of Staff.
Following Gbajabiamila’s proposal, the House voiced worry that the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) predicted that large areas of the country will flood in January, 2023.
The lawmakers requested that the government provide palliatives and intervention measures for Nigerians in order to mitigate the effects.
The House also agreed to summon the Nigeria National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to inform it on flood preparedness measures.
Ogun state
BizWatch Nigeria recalls that the Ogun State Government had issued in April, 2023 an advisory to residents in various regions along the state’s river channel in anticipation of flash floods caused by heavy rainfall predicted for the state by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency.
According to the Nigerian Meteorological Agency, Ogun State will have two seasons of rainfall in 2023, the first between April and July with an average of 1658mm and the second between September and November with an average of 1988mm.
Many areas across the state are expected to experience flash floods as a result of heavy rainfall in short periods, some with long-term consequences in wetlands, while coastal flooding is expected in areas such as Isheri, Mowe, Kara, and Ibafo as a result of tidal lock of the Ogun River by Lagos Lagoon caused by natural sea level rise.
Residents have been urged against any man-made activity that could exacerbate the difficulty of the impending flash floods in several regions of the state.
