FG URGES DOWNSTREAM STATES OF KOGI, EDO, DELTA, RIVERS AND BAYELSA, TO ACTIVATE ALL NECESSARY FLOODS CONTROL MEASURES 18-09-24
By Sadiq Aminu The Federal government has urged governments of the downstream states, including Kogi, Edo, Delta, Rivers and Bayelsa, to activate all necessary flood control measures in preparation for the release of water from Lagdo Dam in Cameroon.
The Minister of Innovation, Science, and Technology, Mr Uche Nnaji, in a press briefing, said the satellite images received from the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) show that the Lagdo dam, which already had major damages, overflowed 137 hectares of land between July 1st and 31st.
“Between August and September, a sharp increase was observed, with the overflow affecting 2,053 hectares by the end of August, and reaching a staggering 18,737 hectares by mid September, these satellite images indicate a significant and escalating flood risk. We advise downstream states, including Kogi , Edo, Delta, Rivers and Bayelsa to activate all necessary flood controls measures. We will continue monitoring activities across the country and provide regular updates.
Regarding the earth tremors experienced in Mpape; a suburb of the FCT, Mr Nnaji commended NASRDA for providing accurate data, explaining that six to eight shocks were experienced around 11 p.m. on September 16, 2024.
Explaining further, The Director General of the National Space Research and Development Agency, NASRDA, Dr. Mathew Adepoju said the consistent rock blasting and mining activities in Mpape; which sits on fault lines caused the earth tremor.
Dr Adepoju said Data from the seismic station in Mpape recorded a tremor shock of 3.1 Local magnitude.
“However, the issue concerning the activities of drilling, blasting of the rock, we have been reliably told that most of these activities have been stopped along their asses, and that’s a big, big credit to the FCT administration, and we employ them to do more so that we will not aggravate the seismic activities along the fault lines, because human activities have a way of impacting as well. So what we are calling the attention of the public to the fact that we are not sleeping. We are monitoring. We have our monitoring equipment there. And if the situation gets to alarm your level of red coat, then the government will not hesitate to do the needful.” He said
Dr Adepoju solicited the release of more funds from the Federal government to establish more seismic centers to get accurate data and give warnings before the occurrences of such tremors.
A similar sequence of earth tremors occurred from September 5 to 7, 2018, at the Mpape Axis of the FCT.