Why is LASG ignoring flood early warning system equipment for Lekki residents?
A meeting with the theme, “Environment and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Nigeria – Empowering People, Taking Climate Action and Protecting the Environment”, was chaired by the former minister of environment Amina Mohammed in August 2016, it had in attendance all stakeholders in the sector, including the 36 state Commissioners for Environment.
The council deliberated on various issues on environment such as climate change, land degradation, poor solid waste management, sanitation and environmental governance
The council, having noted the huge economic losses from flood, decided to adopt a proactive preventive approach to manage flood, thus, approved the installation of automated web based floods early warning equipment in flood prone communities nationwide, where there is none.
Flood Early Warning System (FEWS) is an integrated package of data collection and transmission equipment, forecasting models, response plans and procedures that are to empower individuals and communities threatened by flood hazard to act in sufficient time and in an appropriate manner to reduce the possibility of personal injury, loss of life and damage to property and the environment.
However, the rainy season now in force, some states have started experiencing flood and already counting their loss.
There is no sign of installation of the automated web based floods early warning equipment in Lagos state.
Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP)is the agency responsible for the installation of the equipment
The equipment was supposed to be part of the 2017 budget of the Federal Government but nothing like that is in the budget.
The equipment are to be given to states by the FG to enable them record the weather forecast and flood chances in various states; noting that the equipment gives the readings, reflection of likelihood of where flood may occur and how to control it in terms of
For Lagos State, there is no sign of the
equipment.
