Jigawa Govt constructs 132km embankment to control flooding

The Jigawa government says it has constructed 132-kilometre embankment and 32 drains to control flooding in the state.

Gov. Umar Namadi said this at the inauguration of the 2025 Tree Planting Campaign in Dutse.

He said the government constructed embankments along Hadejia River, to mitigate floods, protect farmlands and build resilience among vulnerable communities.

Namadi said that his administration was currently constructing drains in 32 different locations across the state, to reclaim eroded and flooded areas.

He said the state government also deployed two amphibious excavators to dredge Hadejia River, and clear blocked channels to ease flow of water.

This, he said, will mitigate the perennial floods ravaging the state, protect the environment, and improve the social and economic well-being of the people.

“I’m pleased to inform you that towards the end of the year 2023, the Jigawa state government acquired two amphibious hydraulic excavators, purposely for channel clearance in areas affected by invasive typha grass.

“Coordinated by a technical committee, these were deployed for the clearance of river channels in the riverine areas, targeting over 159 kilometers to facilitate the free flow of water.

“This is to mitigate the occurrence of perennial floods devastating the environment which has had an adverse effect on people’s lives and property over the years,” he said.

According to Namadi, the state government is also distributing manual working tools and materials to encourage communal efforts to mitigate the disaster.

Abdullahi Sa’id, Chairman, Jigawa Local Emergency Management Committee (LEMC), said the state government has provided adequate funds to fast-track flood mitigation and emergency response services.

He said the measure would enhance flood mitigation and emergency response services in the 21 local government areas, predicted to experience floods this rainy season.

Additionally, Nura Abdullahi, Head of the Kano Territorial Office, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), stated that the agency has intensified sensitisation activities to raise awareness about flood mitigation.  

According to Abdullahi, the agency is sensitising communities in collaboration with the Jigawa State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), to the 2025 National Preparedness and Response Campaign on Flood and Related Hazards.

He said the LEMCs and other stakeholders had been mobilised to fast track proactive flood mitigation activities across the 27 local government areas of the state.

Abdullahi said that NEMA had deployed personnel and volunteers to disseminate early warning signs to the people in flood-prone communities.

“The sensitisation focused on strengthening community-based information sharing and security surveillance in flood-prone areas.

“It also aims to strengthen the early warning system in the event of the disaster, and to develop measures in collaboration with stakeholders, to reduce the likely impact of flooding as predicted by the agencies,” he said.

Abdullahi said the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), and the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA), predicted flooding in 21 out of the 27 LGAs of the state in the 2025 Seasonal Climate Prediction (SCP) and 2025 Annual Flood Outlook (AFO), respectively.

Moreover, Ahmad Tijjani, Director of the National Orientation Agency (NOA) in Jigawa, stated that the agency conducted sensitization activities in five flood-prone communities in the state.

The exercise, he said, is designed to minimise the impacts of flooding in communities and educate the people on how to mitigate the disaster.

“We’ve done a lot of media engagements, including radio discussions, with a view to educating the public on how to address some of the human induced factors of flooding,” he said.

Similarly, the Bauchi government has initiated a statewide monthly environmental sanitation exercise to mitigate flooding in the state.

Mas’ud Aliyu, Director-General of the Bauchi State Emergency Management Agency (BASEMA), said the measure was part of an elaborate flood preparedness effort to mobilize communities to effectively prevent the disaster.

The campaign, he said, targeted flood-prone communities and urged residents to vacate high-risk zones to safeguard lives and property.

Aliyu said awareness creation activities were critical to the agency’s early warning strategy as the state braces for possible flooding this rainy season.

“We are working closely with community leaders and stakeholders to ensure that residents understand the dangers of staying in flood prone areas and the need for immediate relocation to safe grounds,” he said.

Additionally, Dr. Mahmud Bose, Director General of the Bauchi State Environmental Protection Agency (BASEPA), stated that the agency was conducting a compulsory environmental sanitation exercise.

He said the exercise focused on encouraging regular drain clearance to prevent blockages that contribute to flooding.

The director stated that the exercise was being implemented in collaboration with local government councils and environmental officers to ensure compliance by households, businesses, and public institutions.

“Our primary objective is to prevent avoidable flooding disasters through proactive environmental management.

“Clearing drains and maintaining a clean environment is a collective responsibility, and we are committed to ensuring that everyone plays their part.

“It is part of a multi-sectoral approach to reduce the impact of seasonal flooding in the state,” he said.

Mas’ud, therefore, urged residents of the state to clear drains and desist from dumping waste on waterways.

Vanguard News

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