Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NHSA) has reiterated its full commitment to take preemptive measures to forestall the devastation that could occur due to the release of dams from neighbouring West African countries.
Last year heavy rains and subsequent release of waters from dams in Cameroon caused major flooding across the Middle Belt and Southern regions with several internally displaced persons (IDPs) still not settled in their homes.
Figures from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) said over 88,000 IDPs are registered in Adamawa, Benue and Taraba States where floods were triggered by the release of water from the Ladgo Dam in Cameroon.
John Shamonda, director general of the agency stated that the agency accurately provided information on high rising velocity of water flow and waves into Nigerian rivers through its data collection platform (DCP) in 2012.
The data and information produced was used by the National Emergency Management Agency and other emergency management bodies at both state and local government levels, to alert on the hazards of the upcoming flood waves from major rivers.
Shamonda noted that with many experts’ input on how to forestall a repeat of the 2012 floods, the agency would stand a better chance at forestalling and managing such situations should they occur. “We are now fully prepared we cannot be taken by surprise this year, we were taken by surprise with releases from Lagdo Dam in Cameroon last year.
“We are now trying to form collaboration and bi-lateral cooperation with Cameroon so that we will be part of the management of that Lagdo Dam so that nobody is going to be taken by surprise.”
He stated that his agency and other collaborative expert bodies have advised the government on the need to build a dam along the Nigeria-Cameroon border to take in excess waters released from the West African neighbor.
“We have also advised the government to build a dam close to the border to take all the water coming from Lagdo Dam from Cameroon so that that flood which we see as a disaster can always be used as a benefit.
“When you build a barrier and you curtail the water, then when there is no flood again, it is that water that you will now use by all the downstream users most especially the people who are farmers, the agriculturist. They need water all the year round to produce. Now everything is normal there is no flood but within the next two three months now, there may not be water in the river and they will still need that water.
Shamonda called for adequate funding of the water sector to drive initiatives and plan for the country’s water resources, mostly trans-boundary.
In the wake of the 2012 flood disaster, President Goodluck Jonathan approved N603 million to the agency for replacement and rehabilitation of hydrological equipment and upgrade of data acquisition systems.
The hydrological agency is responsible for providing data and information for assessment of water resources including its location in time and space, extent, dependability and possibilities, utilisation and control on a sustainable basis.