An environmentalist, Mr Gafar Odubote, has called for proper flood-audit in Lagos state and other flood-prone areas in order to develop measures to eliminate recurrence of flooding in parts of the country.
Odubote, the Network Coordinator, Africa Region of Let’s Do It World (LDIW), an environmental non-profit organisation, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Lagos.
The environmentalist reiterated the need to conduct a flood-audit in order to rightly address flood reccurrences across the country.
“Flooding most times occur either after an heavy downpour or as a result of the rising sea level. These are main reasons we experience flooding in Nigeria.
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“To forestall constant flooding incidences, we cannot overemphasize the need for constant clearing of drainages and waterways and an appropriate flooding-audit.
“We need to do a proper flooding-audit, let us audit our infrastructure and environment. How freely can water flow when it rains?
“We must understand the pattern of rain falls in this part of the country and how excess water are being channelled into the appropriate waterbodies to end flooding.
“We need to do a proper mapping on how water flows across Lagos state when it rains so as to plan properly against incidences of flooding,” Odubote said.
According to him, when flood audits are taken in the state, it will help the relevant authorities to appreciate the extent of damages cost, and strategies to mitigate recurrence.
Odubote also harped on the need to constantly clear waterways and drainage systems as well the maintenance of all hydronic structures in the country.
In addition, he called for the set up of more dams and reservoirs to contain the growing water mass on the land surface and over-laboured waterways.
“We must also ensure the maintenance of all the hydronic structures such as dams and reservoirs so excess water from the land surface can be channeled there.
“If the land and available drainage structures can no longer contain the excess water when it rains. We must channel properly the water from the mainland to the sea bodies to curb flooding incidences.
“The government should also consider building dams and reservoirs in areas that are flood-prone or retain excess water,” Odubote said.
He said that there were a lot of constructions projects currently going on in Lagos state to curtail incessant flooding, but the states need to do something on short term basis.
“As the constructions are ongoing they should also put in place measures to ensure that the drainages and waterways are not blocked as the rains continue,” the environmentalist said. (NAN)
