Shiroro power station warns communities to steer clear of flood plains

Communities around the Shiroro dam in Niger state have been warned to stay away from the flood plains as the rain season approaches its peak.

The warning was contained in a communiqué at the end of the 2019 Stakeholders Flood Sensitisation and Awareness Forum organised by the management of the North South Power Company Limited (NSPCL).

NSPCL acquired the Shiroro hydroelectric power on 30-year concession agreement in 2013 with a target of restoring capacity to 600 Mega Watt and a 45 percent increase in power generation.

The communiqué resolved that there should be constant awareness and preparedness action on flooding to reduce its effects, adding that community leaders should be more active in flood warning.

It urged government and corporate bodies to assist in managing flood at the peak of rainy season in order to avert disaster.

The communiqué called on community leaders to come up with policy to advise people to move away from flood prone areas as well as to protect themselves and their communities.

It resolved that losses from flooding should be compensated even though the affected communities were not on flood plain, adding that the National Flood Insurance Scheme should be considered and utilised.

The communiqué suggested that government agencies should carry out sensitization on flooding, adding that they should explain to communities what to do during flooding and consider relocation plans when forecasting flood.

It said that members of the communities should throw away food that has been contacted with flood waters and members of the communities should avoid building structures on flood plain.