Lagdo Dam: Adamawa Lawmaker Alerts Communities To Flood

From Tom Garba, Yola
Following the notice issued by the Government of Cameroon to open Lagdo Dam, a lawmaker in the Adamawa State House of Assembly, Hon. Lumsabani M Dilli, has urged all communities in the riverine areas to anticipate flooding and prepare for it.
Dilli, who represents Demsa Constituency in the state’s assembly, reminded the people living along the banks of the Gongola River which flows down to River Niger not to ignore the warnings given by the various agencies of floods that might displaced them, in order to avert a repeat of damage and destruction done to the villages and towns as a result of 2011 floods disaster when Lagdo Dam was opened.
Recall that in 2011 houses, farms lands and property worth billion of naira were destroyed by flood in Damsa, Numan, Guyuk and Lamurde local councils, which were the worst affected in Adamawa State.
Hon. Dilli, who is the chairman, House Committee on Environment, emphasized that all the people living along the coastal area of the river Niger should begin to look for safer places as nobody can tell when the floods would start.
“I am calling on all the people around the river Niger should begin to look for more safer areas as an alternative to them should there be any floods,” he said.
According to him, “water is like wind it must create a way for itself. No amount of control can hold it and as such all hands must be on deck to avoid a repeat of 2011 pains where thousands of people were displaced because of the flood.”
He added that should there be any flooding government would respond to the needs of the people. He disclosed that a committee has been inaugurated to handle all environmental issues in the state.
Dilli, who is also the minority leader in the state Assembly on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), pledged to be a true minority leader in order to defend the people.
“While I stick to the business of making laws that will not make forget my position as a minority leader to checkmates my principals according to the provisions of the laws, For now we have a good relationship with both the governor and the Speaker,” he added.