Flood –Prone Areas: S4C urges swift action in ensuring safe relocation of residents

Stanley Ihedigbo

Non-profit organization committed to safeguarding housing rights and preventing mass displacement, Spaces for Change (S4C) has expressed deep concern about the safety and well-being of the residents in flood-prone areas in the State.

According to a statement signed by the group Executive Director, Ms. Victoria Ibezim-Ohaeri, urged state governments, most especially Lagos State to promptly provide alternative emergency shelters that are adequately equipped with essential supplies, medical facilities, and trained personnel to support evacuees in their time of need.

She further advised that accessible means of transportation to facilitate the relocation of affected individuals from their current locations to the designated emergency shelters and addressing the specific needs of vulnerable populations, including the elderly, people with disabilities, women, and children, to guarantee their safe evacuation and relocation.

The S4C boss noted that Lagos State Ggovernment issued an advisory, urging communities along the Ogun River to promptly relocate from their current residences.

“This cautionary measure was in anticipation of imminent flooding in October 2023, coupled with the well-established pattern of heavy precipitation typically associated with the months of September and December every year within the Ogun River Basin. This concern was collaborated by forecasts from the Nigeria Meteorological Services (NIMET), Nigeria Hydrological Services (NIHSA), and National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA). The areas to be particularly affected by the flood include Alagbole, Meiran, Maidan, Kara, Isheri-Olowora, Agiliti, Owode-Onirin, Owode-Elede, Agboyi I, Agboyi II, Ajegunle, Itowolo, Majidun, Ibeshe, Baiyeku, Maidan, Lekki-Ajah, and the boundaries adjacent to the Lagos Lagoon.

“While the issuance of the warning is undoubtedly important, it is crucial for the State to design a comprehensive strategy that would ensure efficient evacuation and relocation of persons who may potentially be impacted by the impending flood. Most residents in these areas do not have alternative shelters.

She appealed that in the spirit of collaboration and a shared commitment to the protection of housing rights and the welfare of all citizens, the Lagos State Government to take the lead in this process, allowing stakeholders, including the private sector and humanitarian groups, to provide support and complement the State’s efforts.

“In times of crisis, the importance of efficient communication and cooperation between the government, civil society, and the media cannot be overstated. These elements are vital to ensuring a coordinated response to the imminent flooding,” she stressed.