Popular Niger Delta environmental rights activist and development advocate, Sheriff Mulade, has called on governors of states in the region to take proactive measures to mitigate the impact of the flooding forecast by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency.
He warned that failure to act promptly could result in devastating humanitarian and environmental consequences.
Mulade made the call in a statement made available to journalists in Warri, Delta State, on Monday.
The environmental advocate’s appeal follows flood warnings issued by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency, which has repeatedly alerted states across the country to the risk of flooding during the peak of the rainy season.
Mulade, who is the National Coordinator of the Centre for Peace and Environmental Justice, expressed concern over what he described as the persistent neglect of citizens’ welfare by political leaders, lamenting that “many public office holders appear to prioritise personal ambitions and parochial political interests above their constitutional responsibility to protect lives and property.”
He noted that recurring floods across the Niger Delta have continued to inflict severe hardship on residents, stressing that many families and communities devastated by the historic 2012 floods and subsequent incidents are yet to recover fully from their losses.
Mulade maintained that “the failure of governments at various levels to implement sustainable flood prevention and disaster management measures has left vulnerable communities exposed to repeated environmental disasters.”
He cautioned that “if urgent collaborative and coordinated interventions are not undertaken ahead of the anticipated flooding as we approach the peak heavy rainfall, the region could once again witness widespread destruction of homes, farmlands, infrastructure, and livelihoods.”
The environmental advocate appealed to governors across the Niger Delta to “work collaboratively with relevant federal agencies, emergency management organisations, local government authorities, and community stakeholders to develop and implement effective flood mitigation strategies.”
He specifically called for immediate evacuation plans for flood-prone communities, desilting of waterways and drainage channels, strengthening emergency response mechanisms, provision of relief materials and healthcare services, as well as sustained public awareness campaigns to minimise the anticipated impact of flooding.
While stressing that proactive planning, intergovernmental collaboration and a genuine commitment to citizens’ welfare remain the most effective ways to prevent another large-scale flood disaster in the Niger Delta, Mulade emphasised that “States such as Bayelsa, Delta and Rivers, which are historically among the worst affected by seasonal flooding, should take the lead in implementing preventive measures to safeguard lives and property.”
