Lagos introduces forecasting system to monitor flooding

The Lagos State Government, on Tuesday, disclosed its plan to introduce a nature-based method to mitigate flooding in the state during next year’s rainy season.

The Special Adviser to the Governor on Drainage and Water Resources, Joe Igbokwe, stated this during the review of the 2022 Seasonal Climate Prediction organised by the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources in collaboration with the Nigerian Meteorological Agency in Alausa, Ikeja.

Igbokwe, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Office of Drainage Services, Mahmood Adegbite, noted that the ministry has established a flood forecasting system and weather observatory stations to monitor imminent flooding.

He said, “What we want to introduce next year is a nature-based solution because everything we have been doing so far is structural engineering. If you look at the natural water cycle, when there is rainfall, trees and leaves store all the rainwater but in Lagos, because we don’t have our greens anymore, everywhere is filled with water. So, we want to integrate nature in such a way that every household will now participate in flood mitigation.

“Now every resident will have a water collector to attenuate the flood water that gets to the street drains. They will store the water and if they want to release it into the drain it would have to be after rainfall. We are still working on the modalities of this process.”

The Director-General of NiMet, Prof. Mansur Matazu, who was represented by Mr Adeleke Oyegade, said, “To promote and support early actions against the whims of weather and climate change, providing hydro-meteorological predictions and advisories with sufficient lead times ahead of these events is critical to mitigating the resulting threats, building climate resilience, and ensuring sustainable development.