Niger designs Two-Abode System to Curb Perennial Flooding

…..Activates Emergency Help Offices.

By Daniel Ebi, Minna.

Worried by the perennial flooding affecting several riverine communities across the state, the Niger State Government has designed a two-abode system aimed at safeguarding lives and property from recurring flood disasters.

The Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, Dr. Ibrahim Ahmed Inga, disclosed this in an interview while speaking on the recent flash flood disasters recorded in parts of Minna metropolis.

Inga said the state government was concerned about the annual loss of lives and property to flooding and was working towards finding a lasting solution to the challenge.

According to him, the two-abode system is designed to enable communities living in flood-prone areas to relocate temporarily to designated upland settlements during the rainy season and return to their original communities during the dry season.

He explained that the initiative was conceived after the government discovered that many riverine communities were deeply attached to their ancestral settlements because of the water resources that support their livelihoods.

“We have designed the two-abode system because it will be of great help to our people. During the rainy season, they are expected to vacate the flood plains for upland settlements,” he said.

The commissioner stressed that the government was committed to the initiative, noting that women and children are often among the worst affected whenever disasters occur.

On the recent flash flood that destroyed hundreds of houses in Minna following a heavy downpour, Inga described the incident as a major disaster.

He said the government was currently compiling data on victims and the extent of damage to determine appropriate assistance for those affected.

The commissioner, however, attributed part of the flooding to indiscriminate construction along waterways, warning residents against erecting structures on natural drainage channels.

“We want to advise people to be more conscious of their attitude towards the environment. Some structures are erected alongside waterways.

“The truth is that whatever happens, water will naturally find its way and, in the process, destroy houses and other properties,” he said.

Inga appealed to development partners and the Federal Government to support the state with additional interventions after the ongoing assessment of affected communities is completed by the Niger State Emergency Management Agency.

He also disclosed that the state emergency management help desk and offices had been activated across the state to enable residents to report flood-related emergencies and access timely assistance.

The commissioner said the activation became necessary following the inclusion of Niger among states identified by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) as being at risk of flooding during the current rainy season.