Some residents of Abuja and its environs have expressed fear over the looming flood due to poor environmental and sanitation practices.
The residents, who spoke with journalists, said that rainy seasons had been a difficult period for them as floods always submerged their belongings.
Jacob Idris, a resident of Nyanya, said that they have been battling floods every rainy season, even after clearing the drainages around them.
He said until the bridge and the road are reconstructed, and a bigger ring is fixed; they may not get out of the problem.
“We have lost millions of naira worth of goods and property to flooding in this area, and we are afraid that if nothing is done this year, property or even lives may be lost to the flood.
“We have started seeing signs that it will rain heavily this year since the first rain had caused serious flooding,’’ he said.
Amaka Ukachukwu, a resident of Mararaba, Nasarawa State, said to prevent a recurrence of flood this year, the public needed to be sensitised to desist from dumping refuse on water channels.
“Now that the rains are coming, we appeal to the government to be prepared and assist us on time.
“Some of us are poor; we should be relocated to camps as usual, so we are calling for early preparation in case such occurrences happen,’’ she said.
Abdullahi Sanwo, a resident of Ado, Nasarawa State, appealed to residents to avoid blocking waterways with refuse.
“We do not want to witness flooding this year in our community; we are educating our people on the need to keep the drainages free of refuse,’’ he said.
Josephine Paul, a resident of Mpape, a suburb of Abuja, said a committee had been constituted in her area to monitor residents to ensure proper waste disposal.
Ms Paul said that the government provided waste bins, so residents are being monitored to ensure the proper use of the waste bins
Isaac Dogo, a resident of Garki, has advised residents against blocking drainages, adding that nature will fight back, resulting in flood.
“I urged the government to take precaution against the impending doom,’’ he said
He appealed to the government to take a lasting solution to address the issue of flooding in the country in general.
The director-general of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) says rainfall is predicted to be earlier than the long-term average in most parts of the country.
In 2023, although the NiMet forecast had predicted a largely normal rainfall pattern, it also indicated a high possibility of flash floods in some states.
(NAN)
