Flood: Bauchi to engages traditional, religious leaders on sensitization

From Mohammed Nasir Shuaibu BAUCHI

The Director General of Bauchi State Environmental Protection Agency (BASEPA), Dr Ibrahim Kabir said plans has been concluded for engaging traditional and religious leaders toward mobilization and sensitization of the citizens ahead of NiMET flood predictions of August this year in the state.

Dr Kabir disclosed this in an inclusive interview with our correspondent over weekend in Bauchi, said the state government has set of a high powered flood committee to map out strategy to towards mitigating flooding in line with NiMET this year’s raining prediction in 8 LGAs of the state.

He said “We’ve received a letter from the Nigerian Metrological Agency (NiMET) on 25th April, 2023 notifying the Bauchi State government that about 8 local government areas are likely be flooded and immediately form a committee on flood to came up with modalities and solutions in affected eight communities”,.

These committee according to the DG, comprising of Bauchi State Environmental Protection Agency (BASEPA), State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) and ministry of works, housing and environmental respectively.

He explained that state government had since commenced a lot of sensitization and advocacy programs through radio and television with a view to educate and enlightened the people especially those in flash points areas on safety measures and prevention against this year raining expectations.

Dr Kabir who double as the state Project Coordinator of Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) World Bank project disclosed that second alternative of IDPs camp was also provided by the government in case of eventuality to convage them for sometime.

He disclosed that the affected local government predicted by the NiMET were Bauchi, Alkaleri, Kirfi, Gamawa, Itas Gadau, Giade, Jama’are and Zaki.

He future disclosed that under the Bauchi State government world bank ACReSAL projects, two ultra modern Dams would constructed in Cheledi and Gwallagan Mayaki with a view to control the escavation of the water as well as providing job opportunities for irrigation farming in the two communities.

Dr Kabir, however, called on the people of the state to desist from dumping refuse inside the drainage or culverts as well as stop building houses along river bang and water ways to avoid becoming victims of the flooding.