Residents of Jos the capital city of Plateau state are blaming the state government for the devastation of flooding they have suffered over the years.

In 2012, several properties and lives were lost to over flooding and recently, at the return of the rainy season, flooding has been wrecking havoc across the middle belt state hence the anger of the residents against the state government.

 The residents accused the government of refusing to take proactive and enduring action that would help to prevent or reduce the reoccurring losses being recorded as a result of flooding.

Worst affected communities in Jos on the recent flooding are Tudun Wada, Dilimi, Rikkos, Rayfield, Bukuru amongst others. 

Some community leaders, Abdul Mohammed and Abubakar Adamu said some people still erect buildings on water ways due to the government’s failures fully implement laws against such act, adding that the state government has failed to take any preventive measure in flood prone areas in the state capital.

The Commissioner and some other government officials came and promised to assist in preventing clogging of the drainages but is yet to fulfill that promise.

The General Manager of the Plateau Environmental Protection and Sanitation Agency, PEPSA, Chris Longnas said they have taken various measures to curb the devastation of over flooding in the state especially in the state capital of Jos.

He said buildings erected on water ways have been demolished while environmental laws are being enforced to keep the drainages clean.

Longnass blamed the residents for the dirty drainages in the state which he said are contributing to the cases of over flooding.

The state Executive Secretary of the State Emergency Management Agency, SEMA, Alhasan Barde said that the resultant cases of flooding recently recorded in some states of the federation should serve as a wake-up call to Plateau residents especially to those who have remain adamant to the harsh reality of the phenomenon.

He however stated that the agency has embarked on sensitization programmes to enlighten the public on how to avert flood.

He added that disaster prevention and management is every body’s business hence, the need for residence cooperation with government on the issue.