Renowned Niger Delta environmental rights activist and development advocate, Chief (Comrade) Sheriff Mulade, PhD, has urged governors of the Niger Delta states to take urgent and coordinated steps to mitigate the impact of the flooding forecast by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), warning that failure to act proactively could trigger another humanitarian and environmental crisis in the region.
Mulade, who is the National Coordinator of the Centre for Peace and Environmental Justice (CEPEJ), made the call in a statement issued on Monday, expressing concern over what he described as the recurring neglect of citizens’ welfare by political leaders.
He lamented that many public office holders appear to place personal ambitions and narrow political interests above their constitutional responsibility to protect lives and property.
According to Mulade, repeated flood disasters across the Niger Delta have continued to inflict severe hardship on residents, noting that many communities affected by the devastating 2012 floods, as well as subsequent incidents, have yet to fully recover from their losses.
The environmental advocate, who is also the Ibe-Sorimowei of the ancient Gbaramatu Kingdom in Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State, blamed the recurring disasters on the failure of governments at various levels to implement sustainable flood prevention and disaster management measures.
“If urgent collaborative and coordinated interventions are not undertaken before the peak of the rainy season, the Niger Delta could once again witness widespread destruction of homes, farmlands, critical infrastructure and livelihoods,” Mulade warned.
He called on governors across the region to work closely with relevant federal agencies, emergency management organisations, local government councils and community stakeholders to develop and implement effective flood mitigation strategies.
Mulade specifically advocated immediate evacuation plans for residents of high-risk flood-prone communities, desilting of waterways and drainage channels, strengthening emergency response mechanisms, provision of relief materials and medical services, as well as sustained public enlightenment campaigns to minimise the anticipated impact of flooding.
He emphasised that Bayelsa, Delta and Rivers states, which have historically recorded some of the country’s worst seasonal flooding, should lead the implementation of preventive measures aimed at safeguarding lives and property.
“Proactive planning, intergovernmental collaboration and genuine commitment to the welfare of citizens remain the most effective ways to prevent another large-scale flood disaster in the Niger Delta,” he stated.
Mulade stressed that timely intervention would not only reduce the humanitarian impact of flooding but also protect critical infrastructure, preserve livelihoods and minimise economic losses across the region.
The appeal follows a flash flood risk alert issued by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), which warned that widespread rainfall expected during the peak of the rainy season could trigger flooding in several parts of the country, including states within the Niger Delta.
