By EgbemaVoice,
Niger Delta born renowned environmental rights activist and development advocate, Chief (Comrade) Mulade Sheriff, PhD, has called on governors of the Niger Delta states to take pragmatic measures to mitigate the impact of the impending flooding forecast by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), warning that failure to act proactively could result in devastating humanitarian and environmental consequences.
Mulade, in a statement on Monday, expressed concern over what he described as the persistent neglect of citizens' welfare by political leaders, lamenting that many public office holders appear to prioritise personal ambitions and parochial political interests above their constitutional responsibility to protect lives and property.
Mulade, who is the National Coordinator of the Center for Peace and Environmental Justice (CEPEJ), noted that the recurring flood disasters across the Niger Delta have continued to inflict severe hardship on residents, stressing that many families and communities devastated by the historic 2012 floods, as well as subsequent incidents, are yet to fully recover from their losses.
According to Mulade, who is also the Ibe-Sorimowei of the ancient Gbaramatu Kingdom in Warri South-West council area of Delta State, the failure of governments at various levels to implement sustainable flood prevention and disaster management measures has left vulnerable communities exposed to repeated environmental disasters.
Mulade warned that if urgent collaborative and coordinated interventions are not undertaken ahead of the anticipated flooding as we approach the peak heavy rainfall, the region could once again witness widespread destruction of homes, farmlands, infrastructure, and livelihoods.
He therefore urged governors across the Niger Delta to work collaboratively with relevant federal agencies, emergency management organisations, local government authorities, and community stakeholders to develop and implement effective flood mitigation strategies.
The environmental advocate particularly called for immediate evacuation plans for high-risk flood prone communities, desilting of waterways and drainage channels, strengthening of emergency response mechanisms, provision of relief materials, medical health care and sustained public awareness campaigns to minimise the anticipated impact of the floods.
He emphasised that states such as Bayelsa, Delta and Rivers, which are historically among the worst affected by seasonal flooding, should take the lead in implementing preventive measures to safeguard lives and property.
Mulade maintained that adopting proactive planning, intergovernmental collaboration, and genuine commitment to the welfare of citizens remain the most effective approaches to preventing another large-scale flood disaster in the Niger Delta.
Recall that the Nigerian Meteorological Agency had issued a flash flood risk alert for July 1 to 10 across 27 states in the country, and warned that "widespread rainfall expected during the period could trigger flooding" across the states as the country enters the peak of the rainy season.
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