Nigerian government inaugurates committee to combat flood disaster

The Nigerian Government has set up a Presidential Committee for Development of a Comprehensive Plan of Action for the Prevention of Flood Disasters in the country.

Inaugurating the committee in Abuja, the nation’s capital, Minister of Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu tasked the committee to proffer solutions to prevent future flood disasters.

According to the Minister, it was no longer news that the recent 2022 floods had thrown several communities into hardship, submerged homes and destroyed properties estimated at billions of naira.

The Minister noted that flooding incidences in Nigeria had been caused mainly by overflow of silted rivers and poor drainage systems from localised rainfalls, generating flash flooding in urban areas.

“Since the incidences of the floods this year, my colleagues and I have been working together to ensure that affected communities receive relief materials to ease their hardship,” Adamu said.

He charged the members of the committee on synergizing to ensure the task is carried out faithfully in the interest of Nigerians.

“I urge you, therefore, to consider your nomination to membership of this committee as a privilege and another opportunity to serve and contribute towards safeguarding the lives and well-being of our fellow citizens that otherwise would be vulnerable to the devastating effects of flood in the future,” he added

In his remarks, Anambra State Deputy Governor, Dr Onyekachi Ibezim, said that the state government was deliberating on using excess water from flooding for hydropower generation, adding that the set-up of the committee was timely.

He added that his state had suffered huge losses from the 2022 floods, as it affected one-third of its local government areas.

Also speaking at the event, Minister of Environment, Dr. Hassan Abdullahi, said that human activities had caused flooding, he affirmed the need for states to adhere early warning signals.

Dr. Abdullahi urged states to strictly enforce building permits to end the practice of building indiscriminately on the flood plains.

The Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, stressed that the impact of climate change on humans and the environment had been predicted to get worse in coming years, following the rise in global temperature.

Mr Ehanire asserted that the committee must give solutions for health promotion and disease prevention because flooding effects on the health sector could result in an increase in water-borne illnesses.

The steering committee members include Ministers of Health, Environment, Agriculture and Rural Development, Transport, Works and Housing, Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development as well as their respective Permanent Secretaries.

Others are representatives of Jigawa, Adamawa, Anambra, Ogun, Bayelsa and Kogi State governments.

The Technical Working Group include Directors-General of National Water Resources Institute, Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency, representatives of Nigerian Society of Engineers and Nigerian Academy of Engineering, among others.

The Committee is expected to present the Comprehensive Plan of Action for Preventing Flood Disasters in Nigeria within 90 days to President Muhammadu Buhari.