Flooding and vicious circle of poverty in the Niger Delta region, Bayelsa state experience – By; Ofoni WILLIAMS (Part 2)

Environment speaks loud enough for mankind to hear. Mankind only hears when the environment reacts to Mankind and its activities. Hon Ofoni D WILLIAMS (Pinaoge series 17061986)

Dove tailing from the above legendary statement. Nigeria hydrological services Agency (NIHSA), has affirmed that there is a continuous increase in the water level between Thursday 19th to Tuesday 24th September 2024 in River Niger.

Hence, suggestively suggest or advised that citizenry and communities along the River Niger should keep away from flood plains and clear their water ways.

As good as the advice on surface value, it content falls within the place of information being power.

On the other hand, the information bears serious implications on citizens, communities, Niger deltans and Bayelsa state more particularly.

The statement associated with Nigeria hydrological services Agency is suggesting that the agency is not really in terms with the geography of the Niger Delta wetland.

Reason being that the entire Niger Delta region, in it true sense , outside commodity definition remains a flood plain.

Expect the Obudu highland. Whereas, every one or two kilometres there is a tributaries and estuaries of River Niger in the Niger Delta wetland.

So at this juncture and point , where shall the citizens of the Bayelsa state and Niger Deltans go to for refuge.

Bayelsa state government seems to compound the issue because it’s not properly paged on the subject matter.

Expressing participation had not gone beyond distribution of relief materials year in year out or at best award of ritualistic political patronage contracts to deslit drains at the state capital ( Yenagoa)

As Bayelsa state government is of the view that the state is prepared to address and mitigate perennial floods of 2024 by moving citizens to high grounds.

One is forced to ask, where are the high grounds within the state?

Secondly, what is the state of the high grounds in question that people should be moved to by Bayelsa state government. ?

Is there anything wrong for citizens to be aware of the said high grounds in advance to build confidence?

It should interest us all to note that environmental phenomena such as flooding and alike detaste every atom of propaganda.

Therefore, let it be recorded that it’s of an essence that government communicate to her citizenry in a seasoned manner because it’s essential in government and governance.

The 2022 flooding negative impact is still fresh in our memories and the high grounds therein referred or in question were no were to be found in Bayelsa state.

Giving room for road sides camps in Patani in Delta state and every nooks and crannies in Bayelsa state capital (YENAGOA)

Hence, people were evacuated from communities with it’s tended far reaching implications on the communities and citizens( security vulnerabilities)

Therefore, it’s not misplaced to deposit that flooding increases our woes in all ramifications.

Moreso, we are at the risk of losing our God given ancestral home land and heritage.

Since we are advised to keep away from flood plain, likely on year bases because of on usual flooding witness as a result of climate change and other factors.

In the days or years ahead the situation might be worse of because there is nothing suggesting that all tiers of government, individuals seems not yet to understand the implication before us all by way of our responses.

On the other hand, at recede of perennial flooding. The second plague resumes duty, land slide erosion set in and this is known to devastate communities in no small measure.

Many communities are vulnerable and victim to land slide erosion. Twin sister or brother to flooding.

As many dwellings or houses are lost to this phenomenon via land slide erosion.

However, there are notable citizens that shall atest to the above plague and it devastating effect to communities and individuals.

In Sagbama town ….Hon fynman Wilson and Royal majesty Boloyei Suofadoh……..Ebamraba iv of Kumbowei clan

In Ekperiwari community….Chief Bratubo Clement and Chief Tamarabebe Pinaowei.

Asamabiri community….Elder Bolokori Daria, Chief Gabriel Duoboye and Brigadier general J E Yeri…former military Administrator of Bendel state.

While in Osifo community…Chief Lucky Ikadume.

In Anibeze Dr Peters Osai and Jesse Ese .

Ekeremor community….Chief Robinson Etolo, Hon Christopher Enai.

Fagbe community (Yelga) High Chief Osomu Blance

Ogbogoro community… Utavie Igwele ,Chief Akpoebi Gwegwe.

Ayakoro community ( Ogbia lga) ….Chief Rita Omoniwari, Barrister Jude lgboku.

In Otuogboti communities Elder Ofor Tahbor, Dr Okio Tonye.

Northern part of Kaiama town, home community of lzon icon Major Jasper Adaka Boro is threatened by land slide erosion to a fault. The likes of Elder Bolo Owonaro is handy to give accurate evidential t account of land slide erosion and impact on the settlement.

While in Sagana/ Akassa (Brass lga) Alabo Nnigi James, Chief Bello Bina, Hon Amalayo Afatei Yousuo PhD etc

However, the Sagana/Akassa erosion is slightly different from land slide Associated with perennial flooding.

The person’s mention alongside communities impacted with landslide erosion are living encyclopedia of the twin natural phenomena that plague mankind in Bayelsa state.

In Delta state, the attention of the state government led by Rt Hon Sheriff 0borevwori , spirited individuals, multinational and Federal government is called upon, on a serious note to come to the aid of Abari and Onyah communities of Patani lga and Ndokwa Lga respectively of Delta state.

These communities are at the verge of being wipe out completely. If something or pragmatic solutions are not extended to address and mitigate their state.

As a result of flooding, swamp within or behind communities retain or holds back certain amount of water. After the recede of floods.

These water find itself through soil capillaries to the shore of Rivers which aid or contribute to landslide erosion.

The waters in the swamps in question had not particulate into the ground completely because the underlying earth is largely clay that resist permeability.

Moreso, the nature of soil, direction of current and velocity are other factors that determine, occasioned landslide erosion mostly on River banks.

Therefore, desliting or sweeping of River Niger, gives an ample opportunity to fill the swamps within the communities along Rivers Niger.

This the Nigeria nation lost in the days of president Olusegun Obasanjo.

When the federal government embarked on desliting of River Niger.

The waste or material from the exercise were dumped or deposited right in the River Niger institu, which remains most unfortunate development recorded.

It therefore behold, Niger Deltans to examine the issue of flooding with all amount of seriousness with a view of growing pragmatic rather than paying lip service to this phenomenal quake that transcends inflicting pains beyond physical on citizens.

With numerous government agencies in existence related to flood issues. There seems to be poor intelligent gathering in order to address or mitigate flooding in advance.

Be it Nigeria hydrological services Agency (NIHSA), Nigeria meteorological Agency ( NIMET) Basin Authorities and Dams units etc. In all of these, climate change and it impact could not be ignored.

The development heightened the need for an holistic approach in addressing flooding and related issues.

It could be short and long term plans to mitigate flooding. Not necessarily starting and ending with relief materials distribution to citizenry.

To this effect, various Basin authorities should be strengthen financially to live up to their obligations .

Because, there are bound to be slide differences associated with management and solutions pending on the environment in question.

In the northern part of Nigeria, farming season and methods to sustain vegetation cover is of importance.

To ensure water retaining capacity of the soil and reduce surface runoff of water. This might equally address other erosion agents such as wind.

While down Southern region or rainforest belt, the need of the above is not much desired as in the case of the north.

Hence, it’s to ensure that the land arteries (canals) or waterways for water passage are clinical cleaned.

Moreso, ensure that Roads such as East west road and others had reasonable converts to allow large free flow of water, roads transverse swamps more particularly.

Typical of the above is around Umeh, Okobe, and within Sepale to Benin city on the East west road, which serves as evidential testimonial of the above.

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