The Federal Government has urged States and Local Governments to apply necessary environmental regulations in their areas to guard against recurrence of flood.
The Minister of Water Resources, Mr Suleiman Adamu, stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Abuja.
“Well, let me say that by the nature of our governance structure, each tier of government has its laws. In addition to the federal government, they also have their laws.
“So I am sure all the states of the federation have environmental laws that guard against what is happening especially issues like erecting buildings on the watercourse.
“So, I don’t think they need to be reminded of this; they just need to make sure that their agencies are making the necessary surveillance and kind of regulating this development.
“Number two issues like cleaning of drainages and so; I think this is something that everybody should do not only the government at state or local government level, even the community themselves should be involved.
“Why do we have environmental sanitation in many states, it is for them to be able to do this and we know that this thing is going to happen and they are the ones directly affected.
“Why must they wait for the government to come and do this thing for them and what are the local governments doing.
“But let me also say that the Annual Flood Outlook (AFO) we normally provide is not for show. It is serious government’s business to alert the nation of what is likely to come.
“And then it is the responsibility of those sub-national governments to take it up from there.
“We have shared the information with everybody, with all the states. It’s their responsibility to take it down to the local governments. “
Adamu said that the dredging of Rivers Niger and Benue were part of government’s effort at curbing the menace of flood in the country.
“We approved such an idea to dredge Rivers Niger and Benue which we have found very useful and we will do a lot to safeguard the banks of the rivers and the communities downstream from excessive flooding,“ the minister said. (NAN)
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