President Bola Tinubu issued an order on Tuesday demanding the creation of an emergency plan of action to halt the approaching floods across the country.
Mr. Stanley Nkwocha, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications, Office of the Vice President, made the announcement in a statement issued in Abuja.
In order to do this, Tinubu chose Gov. Yahaya Bello of Kogi to lead a group that will develop a roadmap to integrate the most recent National Economic Council (NEC) report on floods.
And all other national flood reports, as well as the 2022 National Flood Emergency Preparedness and Response Plan.
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Sen. Akon Eyakenyi, the deputy governor of Akwa Ibom State, will act as the group’s vice chairman. The committee is anticipated to deliver its recommendations in seven days.
Nkwocha claimed that the president gave the committee directions to develop an action plan for each of the findings during a special meeting presided over by Vice President Kashim Shettima.
Shettima argued that being proactive is preferable to being reactive.
“According to the Director-General of the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency’s (NIHSA) statements, the situation is not dire, but it never hurts to be prepared.
“We can’t afford to take chances, and the submissions from the other pertinent parties are similarly poignant.
“Even though the situation is not as bad as we might think, we need to set up a committee so that the Presidential Committee’s report and the broad preparedness plan approved by the Federal Executive Council for 2022 should be synchronised and implemented right away.”
Shettima stated that a workable strategy will handle the flood situation in Nigeria, and added that the Federal Government, the Niger Delta Development Commission, and the North East Development Commission would all share responsibility.
“I purposely invited the NEDC and NDDC so that NEMA must transfer whatever resources it has to the states so that they may begin preparing for any scenario.
“I will meet with the Chief Executives of the NEDC and NDDC for states that are under their coverage based on the Presidential Directive. They ought to step in and offer assistance.
“Taraba, Bauchi, and Adamawa states can be handled by NEDC. Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta, and Cross River states can be handled by NDDC.
Shettima stated that the government would mobilise funds from its savings and allocate the same to help states like Ebonyi, Kogi, and Benue States.
“We have to share responsibilities, so the roadmap needs to be implemented right away,” he said.
The governors of Bauchi, Kogi, Ebonyi, and Cross River States responded to presentations made by the heads of NiMet, the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA), the National Water Resources Institute, NEMA, and NIHSA.
The governors of the states of Akwa Ibom and Nasarawa were represented by their deputies.
The Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, the Minister of State for the Environment Kunle Salako, the Minister of State for Water Resources and Sanitation Bello Goronyo, the Chief Executives of NEMA, NIWA, and NIHSA, among others, were also members of the committee.
The committee’s secretary will be Rukaiya El-Rufai, the president’s special adviser on NEC and climate change.
