By: Odieh Ramon.
Bayelsa state and other states in the Niger Delta Region are the most flood prone due to it’s geographical location and climate, therefore flooding has become a perennial phenomenon, hence the state government being aware of the annual flooding established a distinct agency, known as Bayelsa state Directorate of Flood and Erosion Control Agency which was created in March 30 and was inaugurated in April 2023 by Governor Douye Diri and headed by chief Omusu D. Omusu.
It therefore becomes the main agency responsible for flood/ erosion assessment, drainage, prevention planning, and flood-resistant infrastructure.
Governor Douye Diri said it was created in response to the perennial flooding and coastal erosion in the state, especially after the 2022 devastating flood. The governor said the impact of erosion and annual flooding on the socio-economic lives necessitated it. Bayelsa is described as “the flood plain of Nigeria” and suffers yearly flooding.
It has the mandate to proffer lasting solutions to flooding, develop sustainable flood management mechanisms and practices, introduce erosion control techniques, open canals and drainages across the state to empty flood water into Epie and Azikoro creeks and advocate for community cooperation to discourage building on water ways. It also saves lives and property by solving flooding threats.
Every rainy season, most parts of Bayelsa state is impacted, majorly Yenagoa, Ekeremor, Southern Ijaw, Ogbia, Kolokuma/Opokuma and Nembe.
The flood is caused by natural rainfall which lasts from 9-10 months, that is from June to October with intense and river overflow, coupled with it’s low lying terrain making the area falling bellow sea level with swamps, creeks and of course, wetlands and water has nowhere to drain quickly.
Poor drainages, block canal, silt block channels, unplanned building and human factors like dredging and pipeline construction being an oil and gas producing state, poor waste management, refuse dumped in drains also caused water to back up during rainy seasons cumulatively being responsible for flooding.
When contacted on phone for reaction to our correspondent, Director General of the Bayelsa state Agency for Flood and Erosion, Surv Omusu D. Omusu replied that he was in a meeting that could not make any statement.
Meanwhile our independent findings revealed that the Bayelsa state Flood and Erosion Control Agency has been on air in some radio stations sensitizing residents and indigenes of government,s unwavering efforts to mitigate against flooding.
In radio jingles and announcement said,the state government had deployed swamp buggy caterpillars to communities such as Swali, Edepie, Agudama,Amarata to clear the canals and channels that have been naturally blocked and those blocked by indiscriminate dumping of refuse which has become an albatross to free flow water.
The radio announcement also seek the cooperation of traditional rulers and community leaders of the deployment of equipment in these areas and youths should not interefere by demanding money before work commences,rather they should cooperate with officials while carrying out their official assignment,in addition children ,for their safety should steer clear and never should see the work as site seeing.The board also used the opportunity to warn residents and property developers on need to avoid building on areas that have natural canal and waterways that have been covered by water hyacinth and waste by residents and natives of various communities. The message also include advocacy against unplanned building on natural water ways and indiscriminate dumping of refuge .
The yearly flooding has also disrupted the state academic calendar, whereby students and pupils in primary and secondary schools had to go on break and resumed whenever the floods receded.
Being majorly a riverine state, flooding affect nearly all the eight local government areas on yearly basis.That is Yenagoa, Sagbama,Kolokuma/Opokuma,Southern ljaw, Ekeremor, Ogbia,Nembe and Brass local government areas.
Bayelsa state has been casualty of perennial flooding especially the 2022 and 2024 .
The 2022 flood has been considered the worst in the history of Bayelsa state since it’s creation on October Ist 1996.The flood ran from September to November 2022 and displaced 1.3 million people across communities in the state , with 96 deaths as confirmed by Bayelsa state Emergency Management Agency ( BYSEMA)
Other key effects of the 2022 ravaged flood included, the displacement of 1.3 people and 6,000 IDP camps were set up, the major and ever busy East – West road was caught off and Bayelsa was completely severed from the rest of Nigeria,as such schools,hospitals ,bridges and other infrastructures were destroyed,farmlands ,cassava ,plantains,yam , potatoes lost and on health,corpses washed up at Azikoro cemetery which raised health fears and epidemic .
The Technical Adviser to the Bayelsa state government on Environment 1, Comrade Alagoa Morris applauded and commended the state governor senator Douye Diri for the establishment of the Bayelsa Agency for Flood and Erosion and since it’s inauguration it has embarked on desilting and clearing of canals and waterways within the state capital ,Yenagoa and it’s environs.
He said as Bayelsans flooding and erosion have been threatening the people for ages ,but state government creating such a body was to mitigate it’s effects on the people , because apart from the devastating 2012 and 2024 which took a toil on our people,with it’s debilitating effects,flooding is a seasonal occurrence people shouldn’t panic about.
He said the Flood and Erosion Control Agency should go a mile further to sand fill or creat a higher ground where people can run to for safety ,urging government to construct a permanent Internally displace persons ( IDPs) as the one at Biseni should be upgraded to similar one constructed at Otuokpoti by the Niger Delta Development Commission.” Bayelsa generally is prone to flooding ,there is urgent need for the state government and Federal government to construct Standard Internally Displaced Persons Camps comparable to the one constructed by the Niger Delta Development Commission ,NDDC”
Comrade Morris stated that citizens should take responsibility of their environment to reduce the impact of flooding in flood prone areas in the state ,noting that everyone must contribute to preserving the environment by carrying out healthy practice and however frowned at the practice of dumping refuge and waste into drainage,as such practices block the free flow of storm water.
“As government is playing it’s parts,citizens must also reciprocate their parts by keeping our drainages clean.When we throw waste into gutters ,we are inviting flooding into our homes”
On traditional rulers complaints, he urged them to take their grievances to the Board and management of the Bayelsa state Flood and Erosion Control Agency for a symbiotic relationship for the sustainability of our environment,they should not sit in their palaces to critize the government agencies.
According to the paramount Ruler of Akenpai – Epie Community in Yenagoa,HRH chief Gabriel Obi who stated that flood is yearly occurrence and there was no need for panic ,even though there is speculation of an impeding flood. Thye are waiting to hear from neighbouring communities such as Mbiama and Agudama .He said it’s only when they receive alert from their neighbouring communities before they can confirm that there is flood, as far as he is concerned there will be seasonal flood from time immemorial.
He said” we are on alert, once our neighbouring communities confirm, before we can categorically say there is flood”
On clearing and opening of canals, water ways as claimed by the state government, he said it is unfortunate that government would direct contractors to move into indigenous communities with bull dozers without involving and consulting the traditional rulers who are conversant with flood proned areas, and when we get there we see them been directed by youths, whose only motives is to collect money and as a traditional ruler l can’t confront them, but to leave, while they carry out whatever they described as clearing and opening up of blocked water ways and canals .
“If the state government wants to open up or clear canals, it is imperative they should involve the traditional rulers who are at breast with the history of that areas that are flood prone, so that they can be directed appropriately and shown the areas that needed to be cleared, as far l know, government working without involving traditional rulers is likend to acting like blind man”
“The youths that come with government contractors bull dozers are there to collect money and nothing more”
