Environment

NiMET Forecasts 48-Hour Heavy Rain in FCT, 24 States

By Web News 579

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency has notified the residents of the Federal Capital Territory, Edo, Kwara, and 22 other states of 48-hour downpour beginning on Thursday.

In its weekly heavy rainfall forecast bulletin released on Wednesday, the agency told the residents to also expect flash floods.

Other states listed are Katsina, Kano, Jigawa, Bauchi, Gombe, Plateau, Borno, Adamawa, Taraba, Kaduna, Niger, Nasarawa, Kogi, Enugu, Delta, Bayelsa, Abia, Anambra, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Ebonyi, Kwara, and Benue.

The bulletin reads: “Moderate to heavy rainfall is expected within the forecast period (Thursday 28th and Friday 29th, September 2023) over parts of Katsina, Kano, Jigawa, Bauchi, Gombe, Plateau, Borno, Adamawa, Taraba, Kaduna, Niger, Nasarawa, Kogi, Enugu, Edo, Delta, and Bayelsa.

Other States are: “Abia, Anambra, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Ebonyi, Kwara, Benue State and the Federal Capital Territory.”

The agency said other parts of the country will experience light to moderate rainfall.

On the likely impact of the rains, NiMet warned: “The expected moderate to heavy rainfall is expected to cause some flash flooding over their areas of occurrence.

“Strong winds should accompany the rains with the strongest winds expected over parts of Adamawa, Borno, Gombe, Bauchi, Yobe, Jigawa, Kano, Katsina, Zamfara, Sokoto, and Kebbi State.”

The agency cautioned residents against driving through surface runoff waters, as they have strong undercurrents.

It identified slippery road surfaces and reduced visibility as other hazards that may be triggered by the downpour.

Punch/Simeon Ugbodovon

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Environment

Downpour: Lagos Puts 3rd Mainland Bridge Repairs on Hold Indefinitely

By Web News 401

Barely 24 hours to the commencement of repair works on the Third Mainland Bridge, Lagos State Government has announced its indefinite postponement.

It was scheduled for tomorrow, Sunday 17th and Sunday 24th September.

The postponement, it was gathered, became necessary due to the heavy downpour experienced in all parts of the metropolis on Saturday.

The Commissioner for Transportation, Mr. Oluwaseun Osiyemi, in a statement on Saturday, explained that the rain has affected the preliminaries of the planned palliative works on the asphalt pavement of the bridge by the Lagos State Public Works Corporation.

“A later date which will be subject to weather conditions will be duly communicated for the palliative, ” he assured.

Osiyemi, therefore, urged motorists to continue to access the bridge with observance of safety measures.

Recall that the Lagos State Government, through state Public Works Corporation, LPWC, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, had concluded plans to embark on palliative works on the failed sections of the Third Mainland Bridge for two consecutive Sundays.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transportation, Engr. Abdulhafiz Toriola, who announced this on Thursday, added that the work would take place on Sunday 17 and Sunday 24, September 2023, between the hours of 7a.m. to 7p.m., each Sunday.

According to him, “The proposed works will be strictly executed in two phases with phase one focusing on only the most critical sections on the Iyana Oworonshoki inward Adeniji Adele/Lagos Island.”

Toriola explained that the palliative works were scheduled for Sundays to minimise inconveniences for motorists.

Consequently, the state government released travel advisory to ensure seamless movement of traffic.

Recently, motorists and commuters have cried out to relevant authorities to come to their inorder to prevent possible loss of lives and property due to fatal accidents often experience on the bridge occasioned by several potholes sitting the axis.

Residents stranded

Meanwhile, flood took over major areas of the Lagos metropolis following early morning downpour, shutting down vehicular movement as well.

Some residents in affected areas in Alimosho, Agege, Ikeja, were seen bailing out storm water from their houses.The flood later receded as some motorists and commercial buses hit the roads.

Some concerned motorists decried the failed portion of the busy Ikotun Market Road in Igando Ikotun Council Development Area, LCDA, of Lagos.

Some of the motorists said the road which gave way few months ago has been left unattended to despite several complaints to the LCDA authority and the state government.

They, therefore, called on Governor Babajide Sanwo-olu to pay an unscheduled visit to the area and ensure prompt rehabilitation of the failed portion of road to prevent loss of innocent lives on the road.

Vanguard/Simeon Ugbodovon

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Environment

Floods Alert for States amidst Heavy Rainfall

By Web News 420

The Federal Government has advised state governments to prepare against floods following an increase in the volume of flow along River Benue.

Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof Joseph Utsev, and the Minister of State for Water Resources and Sanitation, Bello Muhammad Goronyo, disclosed this at a press briefing in Abuja on Saturday.

“The Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency has noted an increase in the volume of flow along the River Benue system, registering a flow level of 8.97m as of today.

“This is compared to a flow level of 8.80m on the same date in 2022. Meanwhile, the flow level on the River Niger system remains stable, with the level of the River Niger at Niamey, Niger Republic, standing at a normal level of 4.30m.

“Reports from inland dams, including Kainji, Jebba, and Shiroro, also indicate a consistent flow regime,” Utsev said.

The minister said it was important for states to prepare since the country was already witnessing heavy rainfall.

 He added, “In light of the aforementioned factors, it is imperative for all levels of government – federal, state, and local – to heighten the level of preparedness and deploy appropriate measures to minimise the potential impact of flooding during the peak of the rainy season.

“There should be sensitisation of the general public by the states on the need for people living along the river banks to relocate to higher grounds during this peak period of rainfall. States and local governments should intensify efforts in clearing blocked drainages and also construct new ones where they do not exist.

While advocating the removal of illegal structures constructed within the floodplains, he urged the general public, especially road users, to desist from walking or driving through any pool of water or flood.

He, however, noted that “as at today, there is no threat to lives and properties, especially those states that are contiguous to Rivers Niger and Benue.”

On the situation at Lokoja, the minister stated that despite the heightened flow volume along the River Benue system, the flow situation at the confluence of the Niger and Benue rivers in Lokoja, Kogi State, remained within normal parameters.

“The flow level at the monitoring station downstream of the confluence records 7.8m today, compared to 8.24m on the same date in 2022.”

Recognising Nigeria’s downstream position in relation to the nine-member countries of the Niger River Basin, Utsev said it was important to acknowledge the period of heavy rainfall, flooding, and flood-related disasters that typically occurred in July, August, September, and October.

He added, “Dam water releases are integral to safeguarding dam integrity and mitigating flooding in adjacent communities.

“NIHSA has, however, maintained a professional and organisational relationship with Cameroon’s National Hydrological Services to exchange information on water releases.”

The minister said there was no immediate threat of flooding, calling on the government at all levels to put measures in place to prevent flood emergencies.

Punch/Simeon Ugbodovon

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Agriculture

Harvest Rainwater for Dry Season Farming, Don Enjoins S/West Govs

By Web News 776

By Lanre Omotoso

Governors of the Southwest states have been enjoined to create more dams to harvest rainwater that will be useful for irrigation farming during dry season.

A lecturer in the Department of Agricultural Economics and Extension, Federal University, Oye Ekiti, Professor  Raphael Omolehin gave the advice on the need to safeguard rainwater that may lead to flooding.

Professor Omolehin emphasized that governments in the Northern parts of the country created artificial lakes, which farmers utilized during dry season to grow food crops.

The Agricultural economist, who stressed that the River Basin Commissions in the Southwest did not have noticeable dams for dry season farming, urged them to learn from their Northern counterparts, who ensured that their farmers grow 80 percent of cereals needed by breweries in the Southwest.

He noted that instead of allowing rain to constitute flooding, the one channelled to artificial lakes could be useful for agricultural, domestic and hydro-electrical purposes.

While stressing that the Southwest is endowed with thick forests, Professor Omolehin added that governors in the region could create artificial lake, bulldoze those forest and cluster farmers around them for all year round farming.

He stressed that pepper, tomatoes, cucumber, maize and rice attract diseases during rainy season, but yield bountiful during dry season, saying irrigation would make most crops to be cheaper and affordable.

The Agricultural economist noted that most farmers in the Southwest practised subsistence farming, calling on Governors of the region to purchase irrigation equipments, subsidize fertilizer and agro chemicals for their farmers to be able to produce surplus food so as to reduce hunger. 

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Environment

Relief as Ibadan Witnesses First Rain

By Web News 980

Ibadan, the Oyo state capital today recorded its first rain of the year.

Our Correspondent reports that the rain, which fell heavily in Podo, Odo Ona-Kekere and the environs started at about three o’clock in the afternoon. 

A cross-section of residents in the area expressed joy over the rain, which they described as a relief from the hot weather currently being experienced.

The residents, who prayed for more rain soonest, condemned the services of IBEDC in the area, saying home appliances like fans, air conditioners, fridges, and freezers that could have cushioned the effects of the heat

They pointed out that the use of fridges and freezers for food preservation had become useless due to near zero per cent power supply.

Further investigation by our correspondent on the first rain revealed that, while other areas felt the cool breeze effect of the rain, it merely dropped or scattered in some areas within the state capital.

Oluwakayode Banjo

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Education

UTME: Twist as Candidates Defy Rain, Others Hindered

By Web News 565

Candidates and their parents defy the early morning rain for the Joint Admission and Matriculation s Examinations which began today nationwide.

Radio Nigeria correspondent observed that as early as. Six o clock some of the candidates have started arriving the centers for the seven o clock paper.

A parent who spoke under condition of anonymity advised that people should have foresight and prepare for situations like this .

He also suggested that important documents be kept in plastic bags to protect them from being wet.

It was observed that many of the candidates arrived late ,drenched and disoriented.

However, some candidates were unfortunate to miss today’s examination, and have appealed to the Federal Government to reschedule the examination for those who missed it.

The candidates who pleaded anonymity, explained that they could not arrive their centres at the scheduled time due to the downpour which started at the early hours of today

They said the rain prevented them from getting public transport on time.

Some parents and guardians also lent their voice to the call, urging government to urgently come to their aid to enable their wards to write the examination which they missed today.

Reacting, the resident monitor for Centre One, The Polytechnic Ibadan, Mr Mutiu Amoo, noted that they had to delay the exam to 8am to accommodate more candidate instead of the slated time, which was 7a

Anthonia Akanji / Lillian Ibomor

News

Ekiti Records 1st Rain in 2022

By Web News 900

Barely twenty four hours after Oyo and Osun StaEkiti States witnessed the first rain of the year, Ekiti state has also joined in welcoming the 1st shower in the year 2022.

There has been great desire for a down pour by residents of the state in recent times, due to intensity of heat being experienced

The outcry was much among the farmers who claimed that further delay in the rain could be dangerous for their yams.

However, succor came the way of the concerned citizens as the rain which had been giving signs in the last three days drizzled for about twenty minutes.

Though it was not recorded in all parts of the state, it drizzled in areas such as, Ilokun, Adebayo, Olorunsogo, Basiri, Ijadu and Similoluwa.

Residents however look forward to having a downpour soonest.

Kayode Babatuyi

Environment

Ibadan Witnesses Rain in March

By Web News 968

Many parts of the Ibadan metropolis and Less cities have witnessed the first rain of the year.

The rain led to flooding in some parts of the city.

A resident of Ibadan, Mr Abd-Ganiyu Jimoh in a chat with Radio Nigeria correspondent, described the rain as a relief to the hot weather that residents had been witnessing since the beginning of dry season.

Another resident, Mrs Fatima Adebayo said the first rain would make water available in wells.

Mrs Adebayo explained that the rain caused havoc in some parts of Moniya in Akinyele Local Government as some shops were destroyed by the heavy wind that preceded the rain.

The residents urged government and people to do the needful to curb flooding that might lead to loss of lives and properties.

Radio Nigeria Reporter observed that dirt littered roads and environments.

Lekan Olayiwola