Floods: Borno overcomes challenges of stagnant water bodies, wet houses
By Tada Jutha, Maiduguri
The Borno State Government has to overcome the challenges of stagnant water bodies and wet houses before returning the affected flood residents to communities.
Other challenges are to be confronted squarely to avoid missteps and errors in managing the flood disasters.
Unveiling the flood management challenges yesterday (Thursday), in Maiduguri, the Commissioner of Information and Internal Security, Prof. Usman Tar, disclosed: “In spite of the achievements in emergency flood responses, there are a number of challenges that have to be overcome squarely.”
He said that the flood waters recede gradually in communities sited at riverbanks and lowland areas of Maiduguri metropolis, Jere, and Mafa local councils.
Additionally, he noted there are a large number of stagnant water bodies that require mechanical draining and the fumigation of the affected houses in communities.
His words: “Overcoming these challenges could also prevent the outbreaks of diseases, including cholera and other waterborne diseases.
“Many homes remain wet and flooded and therefore cannot be repaired immediately by the Flood Disaster and Relief Disbursement Committee (FDRDC).”
Lamenting that over 700,000 displaced persons are yet to return to their houses due to what he described as “unsafe, dingy, and submerged houses and shops.”
He added that the voluntary nature of IDP camp exits has created a situation in which some of the camps remain open.
The commissioner attributed the low camp population to sparse occupancy and skeletal services being provided to the flood victims.
Consequently, the FDRDC is working on the merging of IDP camps to ensure that each camp carries a sufficient number of victims for efficient management.
Other challenges to be overcome included the taking of refuge in off-camp locations and relatives’ homes in communities.
“A purposeful mechanism has to be developed to profile the IDPs by creating access to supporting them,” he said.
