By Praise Chinecherem
Women Foundation for Improved Living Standard (WOFILS) has advocated for dredging of Niger and Omambala rivers to deepen their depths.
The foundation said this was to ensure accommodation of more water during flooding in Anambra East local government area and other flood-prone communities of Anambra State.
The group also called for hosting of early warning signposts indicating water rise to guide evacuation of residents of communities along riverbanks ahead of time.
Speaking during advocacy visit to traditional ruler of Umueri, Igwe Benneth Emeka in his palace, Project Co-ordinator, Theresa Obialor further underscored the need for make the Internally Displaced Camps (IDPs) habitable by early renovation and provision of good sanitary conditions ahead of the flooding season.
She said the flood mitigation interventions were targeted at building efficiency of flood prone community awareness, strategies and resilience towards flood control with a view to eradicating its negative effects on communities and her inhabitants.
She said: “We’re here to proffer pragmatic solutions the menace of the emerging annual flooding, partly occasioned by climate change and human actions in the affected communities, particularly in Anambra East Council Area of the state.
“The flood Mitigation project aims to build the efficiency and effectiveness of flood prone community knowledge/awareness, pragmatic mitigation strategies and resilience towards flood control mechanisms with a view to eradicate its negative effects on the communities and her inhabitants.
“We look forward to your sustained cooperation in this project implementation for community buy-in, ownership of the initiative and its sustainability for improved holistic well-being of our people, particularly, on flood mitigation and climate change resilience in communities in riverine areas of the state.”
Also speaking, Project Adviser, Alphonsus Nwoye said the project is in partnership with Umuigbonekwu Foundation, a voluntary and humanitarian organization that works with grassroots communities, governments, churches and international organizations.
He said the project would facilitate stakeholders’ advocacy and community sensitization targeted at improving access to services as well as increased participation in decision making processes for key target groups on flood mitigation in the State.
“The project will facilitate improved effectiveness of communities, media, civil society and other actors at all levels in addressing the priorities of key target groups in the State.
“It will also facilitate more accountable, efficient and responsive power holders (duty bearers) to the priorities of key target groups on flood menace resilience by affected communities in the State,” he added.
Responding, the Royal father appreciated the group for the visit, saying it was thoughtful of the members to consider his community for the interventions, praying God to bless them.
He, however, identified dredging of Niger and Omambala rivers as major solution to the flood which must be carried out by the Federal government.
He further acknowledged the importance of making IDP Camps habitable, but noted that it should not be too comfortable for displaced persons so they would not be tempted to convert the camps to their permanent abode.
“We have 11 communities in this Council Area and all the communities should be carried along in your project, especially during the advocacy visits,” he noted.
