Nigeria’s NEC urges swift state response as recent floods displace over 1.3 million citizens
EPICSTORIAN — The National Economic Council (NEC) has intensified its efforts to address Nigeria’s escalating flood crisis, urging state governments to provide timely reports on the impacts within their regions.
This appeal follows recent severe floods that affected over 1.3 million Nigerians across 34 states, as claimed by FMINO, resulting in displacement, fatalities, and critical damage to property and farmlands.
Ministery of Water Resources and Sanitation offered details of recent flood crisis
Professor Joseph Utsev, the Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, presented a detailed report on the crisis, highlighting extensive displacement figures and the economic toll.
The NEC stressed that accurate, prompt data from state governments is essential for coordinating federal and state-level responses effectively.
It further recommended that the Ministry of Water Resources conduct an in-depth review of waterways and dam structures across Nigeria to assess potential vulnerabilities.
Additionally, the NEC urged implementation of flood resilience and adaptation initiatives, including a proposal to partner with the Green Climate Fund on infrastructure resilience projects.
In line with these measures, Shettima commended the swift actions by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) but emphasised that more comprehensive planning is necessary to reduce the likelihood of future flood crises.
The Council also discussed the World Bank-supported SOLID project, presented by the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, which aims to improve economic opportunities and resilience for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in flood-affected areas.
This initiative will support infrastructure improvements and livelihood projects to help communities better withstand natural disasters in the future.
Through these measures, the NEC hopes to bolster Nigeria’s disaster preparedness and minimise the devastating effects of future flood events on vulnerable populations.
Multiple Nigerian States Struck by Devastating Flood Crisis
Recent floods in Nigeria, especially between September and October, wreaked unrecoverable damages across several states, displacing thousands of residents.
Torrential rains have caused rivers to overflow in regions including Adamawa, Taraba, Benue, and Kogi, with communities along the Niger and Benue rivers bearing the brunt and grappling with solutions .
In Kogi State, the capital city, Lokoja, saw entire neighborhoods submerged, where many households scrambled to evacuate amidst rising waters.
Nearby Anambra and Delta states also reported severe flooding, resulting in infrastructure damage and agriculture losses.
With many families seeking shelter in schools and other makeshift camps, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) said it has been intensifying efforts and coordinating relief efforts, though the scale of the disaster poses critical challenges to the affected persons.
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Additionally, independent experts are urging improved drainage systems and calling for proactive climate change policies, as these seasonal floods increasingly threaten Nigeria’s communities where the vast majority of the country’s citizens are currently faced with unabating wave of hardship and economic instability resulting from new government’s reforms.
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