The monumental destructions of the 2012 flooding which rocked many parts of Nigeria still linger in the memory of all Nigerians especially the victims. The pains and the emotional upheavals occasioned by the loss of lives and property across the country are so great that no one would ever pray for such calamity to befall the nation again.

The country should however brace for the worse, thanks to the prediction by the Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NIMET) which has foreseen even more rainfall, more flooding and more tragedies unless proactive measures are taken to avert the catastrophe.

The agency has therefore alerted states that are predisposed to flood to act fast to prevent the recurrence of last year's flooding. One of the states NIMET predicted to experience more rainfall and flooding this year is Kwara State, north central Nigeria. It would be recalled that no fewer than five local governments of the state, including Kaiama, Moro, Edu, Patigi and Ilorin South were affected in last year's flood disaster in the state.

Those affected were mostly those who live close to the dams as the state is surrounded by three dams namely Jebba Dam, River Niger and Kainji Dam which usually overflow their banks and cause havoc to residents.

No sooner than NIMET made public its forecast that the opposition raised an alarm to the effect that the government was not doing enough to avoid the recurrence of last year's flooding. The 2011 governorship candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Mr. Dele Belgore, SAN, had called on the Kwara State government to "as a matter of urgency take concrete steps to avoid another flooding across the state."

The government has, however, rolled out plans to prevent the recurrence of last year's flooding. Apart from the repeated calls by the state governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed, on people resident at flood prone areas to vacate, an inter-Ministerial Committee on Flood has been set up by the state government. The committee comprises the Ministries of Environment, Works and Transport, Health, Information and Communications, office of the Special Adviser, Emergency and Relief Services and that of the Special Adviser on Environmental Protection, among others.

The chairman of the state Flood Rehabilitation and Relief Committee, Alhaji Dabarako Mohammed while addressing newsmen on Monday alongside the commissioners for Environment and Forestry, Barrister Kayode Towoju, Housing and Urban Development, Alhaji Mohammed Baba Kpan, Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs and Community Development, Alhaji Isa Bawa, SA Emergency and Relief Service, Alhaji Musa Abdullahi and the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Media and Communications, Dr. Muhideen Akorede, said the committee would begin a tour of communities to sensitize them on the need to relocate, while government would provide them the necessary logistics. He said, "With NIMET prediction of heavy rainfall, all areas in the state are being watered and we are expecting increased rainfall. Towards this end, the Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed has directed us to start going to the affected local governments to ask them to relocate."