Anambra State Directorate of the National Orientation Agency (NOA) has adivsed residents of the flood prone communities in the state to adopt corrective measures capable of avoiding the yearly occurrence of the flooding in the state
State Director of the Agency,Mr.Edozie Ajaegbu gave the advice during a flood safety alert campaign in the flood prone communities of Ayamelum, Anambra East and West Local Government Areas of the State
He also urged the people to form the habit of desilting the drainages around their buildings as well as avoid building their houses on or near water channels in order to prevent the yearly flooding in the areas.
Distributing the flyers on how to prevent the flood at the respective local government headquarters of Anaku, Otuocha and Nzam communities, Ajegbu enjoined them to be more proactive by knowing the flood periods and necessary measures to take at any giving time in order not to be victims.
Deputy Director Programmes, NOA Awka, Remigus Obi informed the people that the Cameroonian authorities had released the water from the lagdo dam, hence the overflowing of the water banks in Nigeria.
“The current flooding in the country will affect eleven states in Nigeria of which Anambra State is one of them. Ayamelum, Anambra East and West Local Government Areas are some of most targetted places the flood will hit hard in the state.
“We urge you to assist NOA in telling your people to move away from the flooding areas for the safety of their lives and property now,” he stated.
In their separate speeches, Deputy Director Administration, NOA Awka, Barr Ifeoma Chijioke and Assistant Director Programmes, Mr.Obiorah Ignatius urged elites in the communities to assist by stressing to the people the need for early cultivation of crops to avoid devastations that accompany the flood.
“We have seen your rice farms, palm trees and houses submerged by the flood. Your elites have a lot of works to do by telling your people the need to cultivate their crops on time to avoid the havoc and the devastations that comes with the flood water in the areas.
Special Adviser to the Executive Chairman of Anambra East,Mrs Ngozi Udozor,the President -General of Anaku Community, Mr Nwauba Paul and the Deputy Chairmam of Anambra West Local Government Area,Mrs Nkerika Ndife, described the event as very apt, stressing the need to educate and sensitize the people about the flood to avoid more havoc in the worst affected areas.
Councillors Otuocha ward two and his counterpart in Aguleri -Otu ward,Mr.Neche Odigbo and Emmanuel Moukwe, Mr.Henry Agu and Mr Iwuno Francis called on the federal government to seek for permanent solution for the flooding by building irrigation for their early cultivation, dam and dredging of the river Niger and Benue to contain the flood water from the lagdo dam of the Cameroon to Nigeria.
Anglican Bishop of Niger East, Right Reverend Obiorah Ugochukwu was represented on one of the events,held at the headquarters of Anambra West Local Government,Nzam,by Venerable Peter Attaje, incharge of Saint Marks Church of the community.