Year in year out, governments at all levels in Nigeria and Adamawa state in particular expend huge resources on the provision of relief materials to the victims of flooding. This is commendable.
But, in spite of government's effort to ameliorate the hardship faced by the victims, such people continue to remain or stay at their flood affected areas. Simply put, the victims exhibit nonchalant attitude to their plight.
In Adamawa state, there are communities in some Local Government Areas that almost every year, they experience such natural disasters, yet without any serious action on their part or government to relocate them to safer grounds.
Most of these communities are located in Fufore, Yola South, Yola North, Girei, Demsa, Numan and Lamurde Local Governments areas. Hardly, a community out of the aforementioned LGAs will not witness or affected by flooding every year.
Annually, if the calamity is not as result of heavy downpour, it is as a result of the overflow of river Benue. Sometimes, such flood disasters claim lives while destroying property of the affected persons. Actually, this is an issue of public concern.
In the case of Yola South, Yola North, Demsa and Numan LGAs respectively, their situation is compounded by lack of fashioning out proper water ways and the indiscriminate dumping of refuge in culverts by the inhabitants. In fact, some of the residents build their houses on water ways. And if someone will erect his building at flood prone area, what does that person expect?
It should be known to them that as far as there is rainy season, there must be flood at one time or the other, and it might affect them in one way or the other. It is now left for them to relocate or remain adamant and continue to encounter flooding. This is a bitter truth that many people do not like to come to terms with.
This problem is also compounded by over population. The population is growing at alarming rate and people are looking for a place to build their houses. Consider how places like Rumde Baru, Bashure, Saminaka, Wauru Jabbe, some parts of Vunoklang, Nassarawo Demsa, Shagari Phase 1and 2 and many other areas developed within short period of time. Think of such places 10 to 15 years ago.
Nobody is condemning population growth or development in this regard, but there should be a well articulated plan for it.
Another thing is that the traditional institutions contribute a lot to this problem. These Local Chiefs, are the ones that allocate plots of land to their people. At times, their concern is not whether the place is safer for you or not, but what they will benefit from it.
Likewise, the state Urban Planning and Development Authority is not left out in this matter. It is the responsibility of the organisation to control and direct development taking place in towns and in some cases rural areas. But the organisation is not performing in this aspect as provided by the law.
The borne of contention is that, for how long does the government continue to sympathise as well as provide relief materials for such people? Can they take action and help themselves? Some people will be considering the productivity of their land. But which one is better? Your life or your land?
Having said that, there is urgent need for government to proffer a lasting solution on this issue by way of relocating people to safer grounds, constructing culverts and buffer dams and ensuring proper allocation of plots of land to people.
This will go along way in addressing the perennial flooding we experience year in year out, rather than expending resources on the provision relief materials to the victims annually.
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