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Mulade Warns Niger Delta Governors Against Looming Flood Disaster
Environmental rights activist and development advocate, Chief (Comrade) Mulade Sheriff, PhD, has called on governors of the Niger Delta states to take urgent steps to mitigate the impact of the flooding forecast by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), warning that delayed action could result in devastating humanitarian and environmental consequences.
In a statement on Monday, Mulade expressed concern over what he described as the recurring neglect of citizens’ welfare, urging political leaders to prioritise the protection of lives and property over personal and political interests.
The National Coordinator of the Center for Peace and Environmental Justice (CEPEJ) noted that many communities in the Niger Delta are yet to recover from the devastating 2012 floods and subsequent disasters, blaming the situation on the failure to implement sustainable flood prevention measures.
He warned that without coordinated intervention ahead of the peak rainy season, the region could once again witness widespread destruction of homes, farmlands, infrastructure and livelihoods.
Mulade urged governors to collaborate with federal agencies, emergency management bodies, local governments and community leaders to implement effective flood mitigation strategies, including evacuation plans for high-risk communities, desilting of waterways and drainage channels, stronger emergency response systems, provision of relief materials and sustained public awareness campaigns.
He specifically identified Bayelsa, Delta and Rivers states as among the most vulnerable to seasonal flooding and called on their governments to lead efforts to safeguard residents.
The environmental advocate stressed that proactive planning, intergovernmental collaboration and genuine commitment to citizens’ welfare remain the best approach to preventing another large-scale flood disaster in the region.
His appeal follows NiMet’s flood risk advisory, which warned that heavy rainfall during the peak of the rainy season could trigger flooding across several states in Nigeria.
