A non governmental organization under the auspices of Center for Peace Education and Community Development, Jalingo, Taraba State has proffered solutions that will aid to overcome flood disaster along the Benue River and Nigeria as a whole.

The Center said Benue River, a vital watercourse in Nigeria, has been experiencing recurrent flooding, resulting in devastating consequences for communities, infrastructure, and the environment. "This policy brief outlines the short-term and long-term measures that the government and public can take to mitigate and prevent yearly flood disasters along the Benue River."

This was formed parts of the policy brief issued by the Chief Executive Officer, Center for Peace Education and Community Development, Mr. Joseph Gimba.

According to the short-term Measures (Immediate Response) of the policy brief demanding for government attention includes;Emergency preparedness and response: Establish a rapid response team to provide aid, evacuate affected populations, and assess damage, Evacuation and relocation: Identify safe zones and relocate affected communities temporarily, Provision of relief materials: Supply food, water, shelter, and medical care to affected populations, Infrastructure assessment and repair: Conduct swift assessments and repairs of damaged infrastructure, such as roads, bridges, and buildings.

Measures for Public safety:
 Adhere to evacuation orders: Cooperate with authorities and move to designated safe areas, Stay informed: Monitor local news and follow official instructions,Support relief efforts: Donate to reputable organizations and participate in volunteer activities.

However, the Long-term Measures,Mitigation and Prevention for Government are as follows: Floodplain mapping and zoning: Identify high-risk areas and regulate development to prevent encroachment, Infrastructure upgrades: Implement flood-resistant construction and upgrade drainage systems, Watershed management: Implement sustainable land-use practices, reforestation, and soil conservation, Early warning systems: Establish a flood monitoring and prediction system to alert communities, Climate change adaptation: Integrate flood risk reduction into national climate change strategies, Federal government through the ecological fund can support the states with frequent flooding to undertake sustainable flood mitigations, Environmental scouting among the Communities can help sustain campaigns on flooding and other environmental disasters, Construction of dam along the Benue river at the upper side of the river in Adamawa state will help to check the frequent flooding. 

The Public:Flood-risk awareness: Educate communities on flood risks and prevention measures, Sustainable land use: Adopt environmentally friendly practices, such as reforestation and soil conservation, Community-led initiatives: Organize local flood mitigation projects and support advocacy efforts, and insurance and risk transfer: Encourage flood insurance and risk transfer mechanisms to reduce financial burdens.

He pinpoints some of the recommendations as follows:
Establish a multi-stakeholder Flood Management Committee to coordinate efforts, allocate dedicated funding for flood mitigation and response, develop a National Flood Risk Management Plan, incorporating international best practices, encourage community participation and ownership in flood risk reduction initiatives.

By implementing these measures, the government and public can work together to reduce the impact of yearly flood disasters along the Benue River, protecting lives, livelihoods, and the environment. The policy brief concluded.