A Technical Working Committee on Flood Disaster Prevention in Nigeria has visited Anambra State to investigate the extent of damage caused by flooding in the state’s eight local government areas in 2022.
The visit was part of efforts by the Federal Government to find a permanent solution to the perennial flooding that has ravaged numerous states along the banks of the Niger and Benue Rivers, including Anambra State.
The President had established the Technical Working Committee, which is part of the Presidential Committee on Flood disaster prevention, headed by the minister of water resources, to find a permanent solution to the recent flood that devastated most of the states in the North Central, South East, and South-South geopolitical zones, with a 90-day mandate to visit states affected by the 2022 flooding to assess the extent of damage caused by the flood and make recommendations.
Following this mandate, the team on Saturday, January 7, 2023, visited the most affected local government areas in Anambra State under the guidance of the state Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo who was represented by his Deputy, Dr Onyekachukwu Ibezim.
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While taking the delegation led by Engr Dilichukwu Etigbuo, a director in the Federal Ministry of Environment around, Ibezim said that the state experiences flooding on annual basis, with massive flooding occurring almost every five years.
He however regretted that the 2022 flooding was unprecedented in the state with its resultant damages, adding that the state needs whatever help it can get from the federal government to rebuild washed away infrastructures.
Ibezim also led the team to Anambra East and West and Ayamelum LGA, where the delegation had a spot assessment of the washed-away houses, schools, water treatment plants and power infrastructures.
The delegation assured that they will communicate everything to the National Flood Steering Committee for prompt action.
This story was adapted from VON.
