Relocate people from flood prone areas, don tells govt

From Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

As the rainy season approaches; a Bayero University Kano (BUK) Don, Professor Mohammed A. Bichi, has asked government at all levels to relocate people living around flood prone areas to prevent effect of flood disaster.

Professor Bichi stated this in Kaduna at the weekend, during the Annual Public Lecture organised by Association of Professional Women Engineers of Nigeria (APWEN) themed “Flood Mitigation in Nigeria”.

He said, flood was a catastrophic event that has long history and occurs both in developed and developing countries.

While noting that, Nigeria might experience another flood this year, the university don said, government should be proactive on issues relating to flood by taking early warning predictions seriously, adding that people living in flood prone areas should be relocated to safer places to avoid the dangers associated with flood catastrophe.

Professor Bichi further advised the governments to stop allocating flood prone areas to people, as this has always come with dire consequences.

Earlier in her welcome address, Kaduna State APWEN Chairman, Engineer Mrs. Amamat Haruna said, flooding in Nigeria is largely unpredictable in terms of magnitude and occurrence and stressed the need to be prepared to react to dangers of flood as they are happening and to protect the public health and safety during these emergencies.