By Joyce Remi-Babayeju
The Director General of the National Orientation Agency NOA, NOA, Lanre Issa-Onilu has ordered the Agency’s Community Orientation Officers to immediately commence a massive sensitization campaign in communities likely to be affected by the release of excess water from the Cameroon Lagdo Dam.
The affected states include, Kogi, Nasarawa, Adamawa, Taraba, Benue, Anambra, Bayelsa, and Delta.
Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency, NHSA, said that the Cameroonia government has notified the Nigerian Government on the release of the Cameroonia Lagdo Dam, urging Nigeria to take precautionary measures to prevent damage to property and loss of life.
Due to the urgency, the Director General has instructed state directorates, particularly in the eleven frontline states, to begin ward-to-ward campaigns in all local governments identified as risk areas.
Issa-Onilu said, “We will not wait for the floods to deliver the message to our people. They must have all the information needed to make informed decisions, as we have been given this alert from our neighboring country. What happened two years ago and in 2012 should serve as a lesson to us all.”
“I have instructed our community officers to start ward-to-ward sensitization today in all at-risk communities. The message must be clear, providing safety measures, emergency contacts, floodplain maps, and possible impact points.”
The NOA DG specifically urged that Coastal communities should be evacuated immediately, while emergency food banks and medical facilities must be established as these communities relocate. We must also ensure that children are enrolled in safer schools without facing any disadvantage.”
He also appealed to state and local governments to take NIHSA’s warning seriously to implement measures to mitigate risks to communities along flood-prone areas, as he called for technical support from stakeholders and government institutions with expert knowledge to ensure that not a single person is displaced or falls victim to the potential floods.
