The Federal Ministry of Environment has alerted the nation of an imminent flood that may affect some states of the Federation between now and the next few days. According to the prediction contained in a report issued by the Deputy Director in charge of Erosion, Flood and Coastal zone Management in the Ministry, Dr. Morohunkeji Oyeleke, some 23 states may be affected by the floods.
Coming at a time floods have been wreaking havoc in some states of the Federation, particularly Lagos and Oyo States, we view the warning with concern. Even though what the Ministry has presented us is a mere prediction which, in some cases, may not come to pass, it is important for states that were identified in the report to take the prediction seriously. It is a well known fact that many of our urban centres are not well planned. For that reason, proper channels and drainage for flood and waste water are hardly in place. Even where the drainage exist, they are hardly cleaned up. Most of them are usually filled with debris and all manner of waste. This makes flow of water sluggish and even impossible in some cases.
The result is the flood that we experience in our cities from time to time. Apart from the poor drainage system, our attitude to environmental cleanliness is another cause for worry. We do not keep our environment clean as a matter of habit. In most cases, we wait for government-appointed or designated environmental sanitation days before we take care of our surroundings. It is even worrisome that most residents do not dispose properly the debris and waste products scooped out of their gutters and drainage. The result is that such wastes, within a short span, find their way back to the gutters, thus blocking easy flow of water.
This poor attitude to environmental sanitation is a major cause of flooding. Over the years, governments across the country have been paying lip service to the issue of environmental cleanliness. That is why we have not been able to avert flood disasters each time they choose to rear their ugly head. But we are somewhat consoled by the fact that most states are beginning to take the issue of environment seriously. This is partly manifested in the creation of special ministries for the environment across the states. With this development, our expectation is that these specialized ministries should not be caught napping. They should be on the guard at all times.
As government departments created specifically to deal with environmental issues, they should evolve strategies to tame the environment to man’s advantage. Floods can be averted or reduced to the barest minimum if we contain the elements through deliberate environmental friendly strategies such as tree planting, afforestation, channelisation and the like.
We must also obey environment laws especially those that forbid us from building or erecting structures on waterways and other unauthorized places. In serious climes, states and their inhabitants do not wait for predictions such as the one we have before us to do the right thing. For them, environmental cleanliness is a habit and a way of life. It is a rule of etiquette and a code of conduct of sorts. It is internalized and as such it is part of the behavoural ethic of such people. But that is not the case here.
The time has therefore come for us to make conscious effort to imbibe the virtues of environmental cleanliness. Our specialized ministries should see the inculcation of this way of life as part of their duty. While we wait for this, we urge the states mentioned in the flood prediction and even those not named to ensure that such disasters do not occur.
They must take proactive measures that will stand the test of time.
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