The Assessment Team of recent flood disaster which claimed several lives in some parts of Yola, the Adamawa state capital has advised the state government to urgently demolish all structures on waterways to curb the reoccurrence of flood disaster in the affected areas.
The Team attributed the construction of houses on waterways as to the root cause of recent flooding in Jambutu, Bachure, Saminaka and some parts of Karewa and Kofare.
It however advocated for the constitution of technical team as well as task force to identify the existing waterways or government's layout on which people have constructed houses on it and reclaim it with immediate effect.
The Assessment Team which comprises of the Adamawa state House of Assembly Standing Committee on Works, Land and Survey, Ministry of Works, Environment, Office of the Surveyor General, Urban Planning and Development Authority and State Emergency Management Agency was led by the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Works, Eng. Mohammed Suleiman.
Speaking shortly after the exercise, the Chairman of the House Committee on Works, Land and Survey, Hon. Haruna Jelantikiri (Madagali constituency), said that they have identified that structures built on waterways or channels caused the calamity in the affected areas.
Hon. Jelantikiri, told them that his committee will recommend to the assembly the kind of action needed to be taken in other to curb the reoccurrence of flooding most especially in the affected areas.
Also speaking while taking the Team round the affected areas, the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Works, Eng. Mohammed Suleiman, disclosed that the only measures required to curb the flooding is for government to urgently embark on the removal of all structures on waterways to allow free flow of water.
He posited that natural waterways and layout that have been bastardised by the developers must be recovered so that all the blockade will be removed to save human lives and property.
According to him, government has to expand the channels properly so as to accommodate the volume of water, adding that some of the buildings must be removed to have not less than 20 meters wide so that water can move freely.
Eng. Mohammed Suleiman, stated that once the downstream is blocked, the upstream will also be affected, saying that they have numerous of such challenges in all the affected areas and that removal of such structures is the only measures required at this time.
In remarks, the State Surveyor General, Pwavidon Simon, explained that his office will work in the direction of providing basis that will ensure effective design and reliable information that can be used in the future.
He added that technical team must be put in place, have ecological map, digital elevation model that can be self interpreting, appealing for proper funding so as to mitigate such disaster.
Baring his mind,the Director Rescue, Relief and Rehabilitation, Mohammed Buba Bindir, said that the action should be taken immediately, and called for synergy between the relevant stakeholders for the success of the work.
Also speaking while receiving the Team, the representative of Village Head, Saminaka Umaru Bello, said their subjects are ready for every action that will be taken by the government
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