The Hydroelectric Power Producing Areas Development Commission (HYPPADEC) has advised people living in floodplains to relocate to uplands, warning that support for flooding victims may no longer come as expected.

“The financial support to provide these relief materials is thinning. So, my message to our people is to please leave these danger zones,” HYPPADEC’s Director of Community and Rural Development, Dr Mahmud Muhammed, said on Sunday in Patigi.

Mr Muhammed was in the area to present donated relief materials to flood victims in Patigi Local Government Area of Kwara.

Presenting the items to Etsu Patigi, Umar Bologi, Mr Muhammed said that no fewer than 1,200 households and 2,800 people were affected by flooding which had rendered many people homeless and stranded.

He stated that a team of medical professionals from the commission was also on ground to forestall possible outbreak of diseases after the flooding.

The HYPPADEC chief described what he called the refusal of the people of the community to move out of the danger zones as worrisome.

He said that the commission’s plan was to sponsor a bill that would mandate people not to reside in flood-prone areas across the country.

“Our people have been lamenting that their experience this year is far worse than the previous years. The fact is that next year may be worse, as climate change is not helping,” he said.

Mr Muhammed further stated that the federal government had built an internally-displaced camp for the victims, adding, however, that the camp was not utilised by them.

One of the victims, Mohammed Baba, admitted that the government had been warning them to leave their flood-prone areas, but added that their fear stemmed from the fact that relocating might affect their means of livelihood.

According to him, the main occupation of the people of the area is farming and fishing.

Although Mr Baba acknowledged the provision of IDP camps by the government, he, however, said that it was not conducive for the victims.

He said that no fewer than 20 villages were affected by the flooding and that the camp could not accommodate the victims.

Mr Baba said that the camp had already been given to a higher institution within the community. 

The donated relief materials were worth more than N50 million, the HYPPADEC boss said.

The items presented included: beddings, food items, detergents and treated mosquito nets, among others.

(NAN)