The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has advised Community Development Associations (CDAs) and landlords to clear their immediate drainages to avert flooding as the rainy season begins.
The agency’s Head of Operations in Ibadan, Mr Kadiri Olanrewaju, advised in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday.
Olanrewaju charged waste disposal agencies of local and state governments to expedite action on dirt clearing along drainage systems, river channels and canals.
“We are at the onset of the rain, so CDAs and landlords’ associations need to announce in their various meetings and take appropriate actions to clear their drainages.
“We must also try to avoid having structures on riverbeds, which can impede the free flow of water. Doing this will reduce the impact of heavy rains.
“It is better to use this period to do climate settings to avoid unnecessary flooding and the loss of lives and property,” he said.
Similarly, Mrs Margaret Adebukola, National Coordinator, Whole Planet Initiative, a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), issued a wake-up call for citizens to responsibly ensure proper drainage systems, in and around their environment.
Adebukola, a climate activist, called on people living in floodplains to adhere to weather forecasts and precautionary measures from experts on seasonal floods and general climate predictions.
“Water has no regard for anyone and will always find its way. People living in floodplains should always remember that the plain is the home of water.
“In case it has been forecast that there would be heavy rain, it is advisable that people in floodplain areas evacuate their houses for a while to save their lives.
“It is important to prioritise our lives over our property,” she said.
Meanwhile, an executive of a CDA in Oluyole Local Government Area of Ibadan, Mr Adeyemi Ojo, called for more public enlightenment on the matter.
He urged the government, corporate bodies and NGOs to sponsor jingles and sensitisation programmes on the importance of drainage clearing and the inherent dangers of building structures on water paths.
He advocated for effective law enforcement and sanctions against erecting structures on water paths to avert loss of lives and property. (NAN)