Lawmakers Urge FG to Relocate Nigerians from Flood-prone Areas

Udora Orizu in Abuja

The House of Representatives yesterday, urged the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to liaise with relevant agencies of the federal government to ensure the relocation of Nigerians from flood-prone areas.

The House also asked NEMA to ensure the federal government stockpiles sufficient quantities of temporary shelter materials, food and nutrition items and medicine to support people in flood-prone areas.

It further invited the Director-General of NEMA and other agencies of the federal government to brief the House on measures in place to mitigate flood disasters and manage the socio-economic impact on the citizens’ resident in the flood-prone areas.

The resolutions followed the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance  sponsored by Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila.

Also adopting amendment to the motion, the House called for the implementation of the Presidential Committee on Management of Floods and Disasters in Nigeria.

Former President Muhammadu Buhari had in November 2022, inaugurated a Presidential Committee saddled with the development of a comprehensive action plan for preventing flood disasters in the country which amongst others recommended the establishment of a National Flood management Council (NFMC).

Moving the motion, Gbajabiamila, noted that a large portion of the country from North to South, East to West, was prone to annual destructive flooding incidents which recurring events have, in recent years, increased significantly in severity and the extent of the devastation of lives and property.

The former Speaker noted that with sufficient preparation and collaboration between the federal and state governments, the country could mitigate the loss of life and the socio-economic hardships caused by these recurring flooding events.

“Also notes that the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) in January this year released the seasonal climate prediction with a forecast of early onset of rain across the country and heavy rains throughout the season, the prediction of an early rainy season has already come to pass, there is every reason to expect the forecast of a heavy rainy season will also come to fruition. “Concerned that the 2023 Annual Flood Outlook prepared by the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency Shows that 178 (One Hundred and Seventy-Eight) Local Government Areas in 32 (thirty-two) States of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory fall within the highly probable flood risk areas.

“Aware that Nigeria is yet to recover from the 2022 flood, which affected more than four million Nigerians, displaced over two million people, caused the death of 665 people, damaged about 355,986 houses and homesteads and destroyed an estimated total of 944,989 hectares of farmland.

“Also aware that the experience of the 2022 flood caused the federal government to constitute a Presidential Committee to develop a comprehensive Plan of Action for Preventing Flood Disasters in Nigeria, the Action Plan proposes structural and non-structural measures, land and water management systems and better coordination amongst stakeholders across the federal and state governments to ensure effective flood management in Nigeria,” he stated.

While adopting the motion, the House encouraged communication between the federal government and the state governments to ensure effective collaboration to prevent the worst outcomes in flood-prone areas.