Lagdo Dam Excess Water: NOA DG Orders Massive Sensitisation In States

Following the notice by Cameroonian authorities that it would soon release excess water from Lagdo Dam, the Director General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, has directed the Agency’s Community Orientation Officers to immediately commence a massive sensitization campaign in communities in the country likely to be affected by the release of excess water from the dam.

The Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) has stated that the Nigerian government has been notified by Cameroonian authorities that it will soon release excess water from the Lagdo dam and therefore urged Nigeria to take precautionary measures to prevent damage to property and loss of life.

Taking into cognizance the urgency of th situation, the Director General of the NOA, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu directed state directorates, particularly in the eleven frontline states, to begin ward-to-ward campaigns in all local governments identified as at risk areas.

A statement by Paul Udenyi, Deputy Director of NOA, said the affected states include: Adamawa, Anambra, Bayelsa, Benue, Delta, Kogi, Nasarawa and Taraba.

Issa-Onilu said that the government will not wait for the floods to deliver the message to the people thus, thy should be availed with all the information needed to make informed decisions.

According to the Director General; “As we have been given this alert from our neighboring country, what happened two years ago and in 2012 should serve as a lesson to us all.

“I have instructed our community officers to start ward-to-ward sensitization today in all at-risk communities. The message must be clear, providing safety measures, emergency contacts, floodplain maps, and possible impact points.

“Coastal communities should be evacuated immediately, while emergency food banks and medical facilities must be established as these communities relocate.

“We must also ensure that children are enrolled in safer schools without facing any disadvantage,” he said.

Issa-Onilu therefore appealed to state and local governments to take NIHSA’s warning seriously and implement measures to mitigate risks to communities along flood-prone areas.

The NOA boss also called for technical support from stakeholders and government institutions with expert knowledge to ensure that not a single person is displaced or falls victim to the potential floods.