NEMA: Another Flood Disaster Imminent Next Year, Says 2022 Warning Not Heeded

•Laments that states ignore early warnings 

•Demands special intervention fund to tackle current flooding

•Utilise ecological funds to prevent reoccurrence, senators tell governors 

•FERMA seeks N100bn intervention fund for road repairs 

•Niger Delta lawmakers berate humanitarian minister over flood comment, demand her sack

Sunday Aborisade and Udora Orizu in Abuja

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) yesterday raised the alarm that there might be another devastating flooding in Nigeria next year if necessary precautions were not taken by government at all levels.

The warning by NEMA came just as members of the National Assembly from Bayelsa, Rivers and other states in the Niger Delta region yesterday berated the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq over her recent comments on the 2022 flood situation in the country.

The Director General of NEMA, Mustapha Mohammed, gave the warning when he appeared before the Senate Committee on Special Duties to defend his agency’s 2023 budget. 

He lamented that early warnings given to the states in 2022 by NEMA were ignored, hence the devastating effects all over the affected areas.

Mohammed said, “Let me also use this opportunity to prevail on the committee to intervene on our behalf. We have written to states several times. This flood is still coming in 2023.

“They must be advised early to set up SEMA and local emergency committee and fund them adequately.

“We gave similar warning last year but our advises were ignored.”

Mohammed told the Senators that despite early warnings issued to states and local governments whose areas were flood-prone, none of them took any positive steps to guide against it.

He explained that the federal government had opened up the nation’s silos and had released 12,000 tonnes of grains already which were shared to all the 36 states of the federation

Furthermore, he said state governments needed to do more in disaster management instead of abandoning it to the federal government alone.

The NEMA DG said the National Assembly should help inform the state early enough to avoid another devastating effects.

Mohammed said NEMA lacked adequate personnel to handle disaster management.

“State governments should help. We do not enjoy hazard allowance,” Mohammed added,

A member of the committee, Senator Uche Ekwunife, expressed doubts over the possibility of the National Assembly to tell states and local governments to put arrangement that could prevent flooding in place.

She said, “The National Assembly is an independent institution that is not answerable to any states. The states are also not answerable to us.

“We can only appeal to them but our constituents have a greater role to play by telling their state governments to act fast on the NEMA warning.”

The Committee chaired by Senator Yusuf Yusuf, challenged the people of the affected states to hold their governors accountable because it’s beyond the mandate and jurisdiction of the National Assembly.

The lawmakers also urged NEMA to make request for additional manpower through the head of service to the president.

They also stressed the need to review the extant conditions of service of NEMA so that their staff would enjoy special salary scale.

Another member of the panel, Senator Francis Fadahunsi, appealed to the states to use the huge financial resources at their disposal especially the ecological funds to address the environmental challenges confronting them.

Floods: FERMA Seeks N100bn Intervention Fund for Road Repairs

Also, the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA), has requested for N100 billion intervention fund from the federal government for the urgent repairs of roads damaged by flood across the country.

The Managing Director of FERMA, Nurudeen Rafindadi, said this yesterday, while defending the 2023 budget defence session with the Senate Committee on FERMA.

Rafindadi was responding to a question asked by Chairman of the Committee, Senator Gershom Bassey                 (PDP Cross River South) on steps being taken by FERMA to repair roads destroyed by flood across the country.

He said the evaluation carried out by the agency, showed that N100 billion was urgently needed as intervention fund for road repairs in the affected areas.

He said, “FERMA has more significant role to play in getting things right in the flooded areas in terms of creating access for emergency services or relief materials.

“Without re-fixing the damaged roads across the flooded areas, no relief material or emergency services can be given to victims.

“Evaluation of damages done on the affected roads across the states have been carried out, requiring N100 billion for re-fixing,” he said.

The FERMA boss said N31.6 billion envelope was given the agency as capital votes for 2023 fiscal year.

He lamented that the N31.6 billion was not even half of the N70 billion appropriated for similar purpose in the 2022 fiscal year.

All members of the committee assured the FERMA boss that legislative intervention would be made towards facilitation of N100 billion intervention fund for road repairs in areas affected by flood.

Niger Delta N’Assembly Lawmakers Berate Humanitarian Minister over Flood Comment, Demand Sack

Meanwhile, members of the National Assembly from the Niger Delta states have berated Farouq over her recent comments on the 2022 flood situation in the country.

Farouq during the recent weekly Ministerial briefing had said Jigawa State was ranked as the most affected state in the country and that Bayelsa State was not even among the 10 most affected states.

However, briefing journalists yesterday, the lawmakers said the minister’s assertion was wrong and at variance with the statement of the United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Mr. Matthias Schmale, who had declared Bayelsa a disaster zone.

Hon. Agbedi Frederick, who spoke on their behalf said it was unfortunate that a state like Bayelsa that contributes massively to the economy of the nation was abandoned at its time of need.

He further lamented that the Minister instead of visiting the affected areas to get firsthand information and empathise with the victims relied on some armchair statistician from far away Abuja to paint a fake picture to Nigerians.

He, therefore, said the minister was unfit for office and should resign immediately or be sacked by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Agbedi added that on resumption of plenary, they would move a motion to look into actual utilisation of ecological fund.

 The lawmaker said, “The Minister is wrong. Reports from the Flood Management Committee and traditional rulers indicate that, thousands are wounded and hundreds of our citizens died. In fact, even one dead person is enough for our country to show responsibility and sympathy to her people.

“We wish to bring to the Minister’s attention, that the entire Niger Delta States of Rivers, Delta, Bayelsa, Akwa ibom, Edo, Imo and Cross River are highly impacted. It is an undeniable fact that Bayelsa State is not only cut off from the rest of the country but 80 per cent of the landmass at peak of the flood was submerged with over 70 per cent of the inhabitants displaced as a result of the flood.

“It suffices to state, that there are glaring evidence that have shown the world where the flood is worst hit in Nigeria, testimonies from highly placed Nigerians who visited the state, of the devastating effect of the flood.

“It is therefore saddening to see a disaster been turned to the usual dirty politics of some public office holders taking advantage of every situation to subjugate some regions of the country by telling blatant falsehood.

“We the Niger Delta members of the House of Representatives, strongly and unequivocally condemn in strong terms, the statement credited to the Minister as insensitive, unpatriotic and unnationalistic.

“While we are not denying the fact that other states in the federation are also affected, the comparison and figures given by the Minister shows a glaring attempt to downplay the harsh reality on ground.

“We are talking of human beings, fellow Nigerians and not some aliens. The figures are not only an insult to the good people of Bayelsa State but to all the victims of the flood who has gone through the trauma of braving the elements by sleeping outside on dugout canoes, roof tops and flood water floors.

“We call on the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster, Management and Social Development to honourably resign her appointment as a minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria failing which Mr. President should relieve her of her appointment immediately.”