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nambra State, in South East Nigeria has been reported as the worst
hit area by the flood disaster that affected in the most devastating manner,
the low plains of several states in Nigeria. The reason is that the disaster
which reached its peak in mid-September and early October 2012 affected several
local governments in Anambra State namely Anambra West, Anambra East, Ogbaru,
Ayamelu, Oyi and Awka North Local Governments.
However, the Local Government that earned Anambra State the
unenviable first position in the ranking of states devastated by the flood
disaster is Anambra West Local Government Area. Two main factors account for
this reason, first is the topography of the area and the perennial neglect
meted out on the Area and its people by successive government in Anambra
State.
First, Anambra West
Local Government Area is without doubt the least developed local government in
Anambra State yet the State derives her name from the area. It is on record
that it is one of very few or the
only local government area whose
headquarter does not have power supply. Aside this unmistaken identity, the
local government area is a story of ironies. With a population of over 500,000 persons, the potentials of
this beautiful peninsula are yet to be fully exploited. The area is the gate
way of Anambra State to North Central State of Kogi State en route Abuja, the
Federal Capital Territory. It is
located in low level plains of the Anambra or 'Omambala' River Basin.
The Area is blessed with one of the greatest hydrocarbon deposit
in Nigeria which was hitherto unexploited until recently when President
Jonathan flagged off the production by Orient Petroleum Resources Limited.
Generally the area is poor and unrecognized. Anambra West is located on the
bank of River Niger and now connotes a ‘group of people, their culture and
territory’. The natural endowments are breathtaking; rivers and beautiful
arable lands sandwiched by streams with different types of fish and aquatic
life. Yet, the truth remains that the Local government Area been neglected over
a long period of time. A discussion on politics of the development and
infrastructural neglect is a subject of full discourse that needs not be done
in hurry.
However, it is on record that the major road construction by the
State started in 2010 when work commenced on the Umueze Anam - Mmita Anam
(State) Road by Governor Peter Obi’s administration and Umueze Anam – Nzam-
Kogi State (Federal) roads which was initiated during the tenure of Prince John
Okechukwu Emeka as Minister for Transport. The only ‘access road’ the area
before then was constructed by ELF and Shell Oil companies in early 80s’ to
enable them reach the inner part of the local area for oil exploration purposes.
Anambra West Local Government Area is undoubtedly susceptible to flooding and
people live in dotted wetlands. Perennial flooding occasioning loss of
perishable crops and farm produce costs hundreds of Millions of naira every
year. Usually, there are no contingency plans for the flooding menace albeit as
the flood recedes every year, it does so with the hope of the subsistence
farmers who constitute the largest population. The result is that
‘riches’ from the arable farming never accrue to the hardworking people who are
predominantly farmers. The people of the area have become used to flooding and
have mastered the way of dealing with it. According to records, the last time
major flooding was recorded in the area was at the end of the Civil War. As my
people would say, the post civil war flood washed away the atrocities that were
committed on the land during hostilities between the Federal Government and the
seceding Republic of Biafra.
Then came the flood of 2012; an exceptional disaster. An elderly
man in my community of Anam actually stated on record that ‘Nothing like this
has ever happened’ before in Anam , a community which constitutes a large
population of Anambra West. It was finally acknowledged by media and government
that Anambra West is the only local government that is completely submerged in
water as a result of the Flood. It has about seventeen (17) communities that
stretch from the confluence of Anambra River and River Niger to Kogi State. The
entire seventeen communities were devastated by Flood. At present, schools,
churches, buildings, markets, entire communities are under water. In one
community in Anam, three lives have been lost as a result of the flooding
effect. This is a huge blow for people who have been enabled by environmental possibilism to cope with water and rivers
where they derive their livelihood. There is no drinking water, elderly
people have been trapped, and movement has been restricted to canoeing and
swimming for the young and able bodied men.
Nonetheless, relief has come albeit partially by Anambra State
government in the last one week. It is imperative to state the present efforts
of the state government will not obviate the need to state the fact the way it
is: Anambra State Government failed in its approach and early
intervention strategies hence the colossal loss of materials, assets and even
lives in the area.
How it happened is not far-fetched. In early September,
when the floods exceeded the normal level during flooding season,
NEMA and Ministry of Environment published warnings on the coming floods and
warned communities to evacuate. As a State with three local governments
(Anambra West, Ogbaru and Anambra East) that are on the Niger River Bank,
Governor Obi and his administration did not see any urgency in the calls or
envisaged what is required. The early warning was there but how could
seventeen communities evacuate its citizens without government support. It is
on record that local government administration has been substituted by Town
Union government system in Anambra State so no local government administration
was in place to even do the least; publicize the information. Slowly, the flood
was taking its toll on the hapless Anambrarians. An aerial survey of the local
government would have given the State Government that has been withholding
allocation from accruing to the area a firsthand assessment of the emerging
flooding scenario. This is not asking much after all, it was done in Adamawa,
Kogi and Delta States. Yet still, the government of the day in Anambra did not
see the urgency though Ogbaru Local government got a fair publicity. Governor
either undermined the disaster or poorly managed the incident. Suppression of
facts has also been argued against the government.
Finally, when the government deemed it necessary to intervene, publicity
stunts became the order of the day. The whole world saw Governor Obi ‘walk in water’ in Ogbaru Local Government and ‘sat in a canoe’ at Umueze Anam bridge head. A couple
of lifeguards and bags of rice were also brought and dumped with politicians in
upland without recourse to the teeming masses in waterlogged areas. While the
stunts were going on, the Flood became merciless on the hapless citizens of the
Area, sparing no one and destroying communities. People were reduced to basic
from of living in a 21st century society. The people’s representatives at the
federal legislature were no better and nowhere to be found while their
colleagues like Smart Adeyemi of Kogi states were moving motion for FG’s
intervention in the flood menace because it affected their States. About
ten (10) senators were later to visit Governor Idris Wada.
The situation did not change until the 1st day of October 2012,
when this writer alongside journalists and volunteers undertook a comprehensive
tour of the local government. The intervention was borne out of the need to
inform the public about what is happening in Anambra West, document whatever
that can be done, disseminate information and get the government to sit up. It
worked as it spurred Anambra government to action. Reliefs’ camps were set up
in Umueri, Aguleri, Onitsha. There are complains about provisions at the relief
camps but it must be stated that in refugee situations, comfort or adequacy is
not a bench mark of success. However, it is appalling that the Government of
Anambra State does not have records of the flood disaster in the Area.
So what next for Anambra State Government.
It is time for planning for post flooding season. A total coverage
must be carried out now in order to plan for post flooding rehabilitation. The
level of the damage must not be hinged on the number of Anambra west indigenes
and others from affected local governments who made it to relief camps. It must
be comprehensive and encompassing.
As a matter of fact, the coming weeks and months are going to be
harder than the floodin period. There will be near famine, farm seedlings have
destroyed, farms have been washed away, farmlands lands have been dislocated
and buildings have been uprooted and those spared by flooding has been
weakened, that most will not be safe for human habitation. Anambra State must
adopt a flexible and multi level approach to ameliorating the suffering of the
people. First, effective documentation is crucial and it must cover all the
affected communities. For instance, there is no need estimating how many people
are affected in Anambra West LGA. Everybody is affected because there was no patch
of land that was not covered by flood. So the 2006 population census should be
a yard stick to ascertaining the number of victims of the flood. Secondly, the
Senate has requested for supplementary budget from the President to deal with
the menace. Anambra must position itself to receive greater support due to the
extent of the damage it has suffered. Experience shows that Gov. Obi has skills
in accessing funds from the FG and donor agencies. It is expected that he will
put the skill to good use. It is also important that Transparency in the
management of the relief funds set up by the Governor is very important.
Finally, the assistance of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture must be
solicited in most effective way to provide farming loans and subsidized agricultural
products and tools to the Area which is to a large extent the food basket of
Anambra State.
Victor Nwakasi is a Lagos based lawyer and Development law
Consultant.
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