The Hydroelectric Power Producing Areas Development Commission (HYPPADEC) has commended the Federal Government for approving N80 billion to mitigate the impact of flooding in vulnerable communities, describing the intervention as a proactive measure while calling for additional funding to address the growing threat.
Managing Director of HYPPADEC, Abubakar Sadiq Yelwa, gave the commendation yesterday while speaking with journalists in Ilorin after the Commission’s quarterly management meeting, where senior officials reviewed ongoing projects, assessed programme implementation and discussed strategies to improve service delivery across member states.
Yelwa said the quarterly meeting provided an opportunity for management to evaluate the performance of departments and divisions, identify operational challenges and receive feedback from field offices to strengthen project implementation.
He noted that HYPPADEC had sustained its annual flood preparedness campaign through early sensitisation programmes in flood-prone communities several months before the onset of the rainy season.
While welcoming the Federal Government’s intervention, Yelwa said more resources would be required to effectively mitigate the impact of flooding across vulnerable communities.
He also defended the Commission’s enforcement of its “no work, no pay” policy, saying the measure was intended to promote discipline and accountability in the public service.
According to him, staff members who absent themselves from duty without valid justification should not expect to receive salaries while their colleagues continue to perform their responsibilities.
Meanwhile, the National Orientation Agency (NOA), in collaboration with the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), has issued a fresh nationwide flood alert, urging residents of Sokoto, Borno, Kaduna and 24 other states to immediately evacuate flood-prone and other high-risk areas as heavy rainfall threatens widespread flash flooding across the country.
The warning, contained in a flash flood risk advisory covering 1–10 July 2026, placed 27 states on red alert, with authorities cautioning that millions of Nigerians living in low-lying and vulnerable communities could face severe flooding if the current downpour persists.
The states identified as being at risk are Taraba, Sokoto, Borno, Zamfara, Kebbi, Katsina, Kaduna, Nasarawa, Plateau, Adamawa, Kwara, Kogi, Oyo, Ogun, Lagos, Osun, Ekiti, Delta, Edo, Abia, Imo, Anambra, Enugu, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Rivers and Bayelsa.
In a public advisory based on NiMet’s weather forecasts, the NOA urged residents of flood-prone communities to relocate to safer locations without delay, stressing that early evacuation remains the most effective way to prevent loss of lives and property.
The agency warned Nigerians against walking, driving or riding through flooded roads, noting that fast-moving floodwaters could sweep away people and vehicles within seconds.
It also advised residents to clear blocked drainage channels around homes, schools, markets and other public facilities to ensure the free flow of stormwater.
Parents were urged to keep children away from flooded areas and open drains, while residents whose homes become inundated were advised to disconnect electricity supplies to prevent electrocution.
Meanwhile, the Lagos State Government has blamed persistent flooding in the state on poor environmental practices and illegal land reclamation.
The Commissioner for Waterfront Infrastructure Development, Dayo Bush-Alebiosu, said indiscriminate waste disposal, illegal dredging and unauthorised land reclamation continued to undermine efforts to tackle flooding in the coastal state.
Speaking yesterday on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief, Bush-Alebiosu said while illegal reclamation was largely driven by commercial interests, poor waste disposal reflected the attitudes and practices of many residents.
He called for greater public cooperation with government efforts to improve environmental sanitation and reduce flood risks across the state.
