Nigeria: Nasarawa Begins Lafia Drainage Redesign After Flood Submerges Homes

The Nasarawa State Government has commenced a reassessment and redesign of the stormwater drainage system in Lafia following a heavy flood that submerged houses and cut off the Federal Highway in the metropolis in the early hours of Wednesday.

The Managing Director of the Urban Development Agency, Engineer Mohammed Wada, who disclosed this to journalists in Lafia, said the incident appeared to be a return-period flood that was not captured in the initial design of the town’s drainage system.

Wada said the flooding had provided the government with an opportunity to improve its existing flood-control designs and develop more effective drainage infrastructure for the state capital.

“This is a natural occurrence. We have been working on designs for flood control in this area, and what happened today has given us an opportunity to improve on our design,” he said.

According to him, the flood revealed new regional streams and channels that were not identified in the earlier master plan, particularly around the Bukan Sidi axis.

He said the government would therefore undertake more detailed assessments of the affected areas to determine the appropriate interventions and improve the capacity of the drainage network.

Giving a preliminary assessment of the damage, Wada said no life was lost and no one was injured, but several houses were flooded while others collapsed under the volume of water.

“There is a mosque and a church behind my office that were flooded. Some buildings around Tudun Kauri and behind this office also collapsed. Most of them are mud houses, the collapse was as a result of the volume of water,” he said.

He also confirmed that the culvert along the Federal Highway near the College of Agriculture, Lafia, was overwhelmed by the floodwater, resulting in the temporary disruption of traffic on the major route.

Wada explained that the location had a low-lying alignment that made it particularly vulnerable when the volume of water exceeded the capacity of the existing culvert.

“The place is like a trough because of its vertical alignment and the size of the culvert is inadequate. It is about a 2-by-2 meters box culvert. The volume of water was so much it became a retaining wall and flooded over the top of the road. That culvert requires expansion,” he said.

The official advised residents living along waterways and in flood-prone areas to temporarily relocate, warning that further rainfall could worsen the situation.

He said some of the affected buildings had already developed cracks and could collapse, making it unsafe for residents to remain in them during the ongoing rainy season.

“We cannot be everywhere. Any serious construction work now, depending on the ground, will cause more harm than good. We will put some proactive temporary measures like diversion drains, but people living in those areas should stay away for now, maybe after this rainy season,” he said.

On whether the government would enforce the relocation of residents from the affected areas, Wada said the agency had no immediate plan to use force but would continue to sensitise communities on the dangers of remaining in vulnerable locations.

He stressed that urban development agencies had a responsibility to ensure that residential areas were provided with basic infrastructure while taking safety and security into consideration.

“Every agency has a responsibility to ensure that urban areas are adequately provided with basic facilities, taking into cognizance safety and security. We only advise people on the implication of living there,” he stated.

Wada also lamented the proliferation of structures along waterways in Lafia, saying many of the affected buildings were constructed without approval from the relevant authorities.

“We have always said it on air, on paper and everywhere, that before you embark on any development, come for approval. You will find out that all these buildings we are talking about do not have approval. They are done in contravention,” he said.

He warned that structures located on the right-of-way of the planned stormwater channel would be removed when construction begins, saying such action would be taken in the overriding public interest and without compensation where applicable.

Although rainfall was recorded in several parts of Nasarawa State, Wada said Lafia recorded the most severe impact from the downpour.

He urged residents to stop dumping refuse in drains and waterways and appealed to communities to take greater responsibility for keeping drainage channels in their neighbourhoods clear.

“The community should monitor the environment. Don’t wait until government will come and evacuate your waste. Let us help ourselves so that we keep our environment safe,” he added.

Wada assured residents that the government would incorporate lessons from the latest flooding into the redesign of Lafia’s drainage infrastructure, with the aim of providing proper channels and reducing the risk of future flooding across the metropolis.

By Leadership.