Leadership Roles in Mitigating Flood-Induced Displacement in Patigi Kwara State Nigeria

Abstract

Floods can happen in a multitude of ways when rivers overflow their banks due to excessive rain, or a ruptured dam upstream, which often causes damage to homes and businesses. Flood mitigation can be adopted to reduce the overall risk of flood damage. The objectives of the study were to investigate the risk on the well-being of flood-induced displaced residents in Patigi Kwara State, Nigeria, examine their coping strategies and identify leadership roles in flood disaster mitigation in the study area. Disaster Risk Management Approach promoted by the United Nations in 2005, being the systematic development approach to minimize vulnerabilities within the broad context of sustainable development theory was used. Both primary and secondary data sources of quantitative and qualitative designs were utilized. Purposive sampling was used to identify the respondents. In-depth interview technique was adopted to elicit data from the participants. Twenty-five (25) victims of flood disasters in Patigi community, ten (10) officials of recognized NGOs, five (5) government officials who understood government’s efforts, fifteen (15) flood disaster experts and 40 victims of flood disaster were selected and their responses analysed. The study found that, floods in Patigi community have caused significant loss of farmlands and destroyed many crops, livestock farming and fishery, worsening the level of hunger, which had serious implications on achieving food security. The coping strategy of victims includes living in camps in sub-standard houses and on grossly inadequate relief materials from government and agencies. The study in its recommendations identified the important leadership roles of the government in dredging the Patigi river tributaries, improve its early warning system, provide efficient spatial planning and sustainable drainage systems combined with ICT/technological tools.