*Suleiman Adamu, Minister for Water Resources, at the inauguration of the Presidential Committee Thursday, in Abuja, urges members to serve and contribute towards safeguarding the lives and wellbeing of Nigerians who may be affected by floods in future

Isola Moses | 绿帽献妻

The Federal Government Thursday, November 3, 2022, in Abuja, FCT, installed the Presidential Committee for the Development of a Comprehensive Plan of Action for preventing flood disasters in Nigeria.

绿帽献妻 had reported the West African country recently, experienced sweeping聽 floods, the situation which had resulted in the death of over 600 people, while throwing several communities into hardship, submerging homes, and destroying property estimated at billions of Naira in several parts of Nigeria.

Photo collage of some flooded communities

Subsequently, President Muhammadu Buhari had mandated Suleiman Adamu, Honourable Minister for Water Resources, to evolve ways of preventing flood disaster within 90 days in the country.

Committee Membership

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.

Whereas members of the Technical Working Group of the Presidential Committee 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.

Rivers overflow, poor drainage system responsible for flooding: Minister

Adamu, at the inauguration of the Presidential Committee Thursday, in Abuja, also declared that it was no longer news that the recent 2022 floods actually caused deaths of several hundreds of people besides dislocating several communities and destroying property.

The Minister also said that the incidence of flooding in the country had been caused mainly by overflow of silted rivers and poor drainage systems from localised rainfalls, generating flash flooding in urban areas.

He stated: 鈥淢embers of the Presidential Committee being inaugurated today (Thursday) are seasoned professionals and bureaucrats who have been selected from across the MDAs, states and professional organisations.

鈥淵ou have been adjudged to have, in one way or the other, contributed immensely to the water resources, environmental, agricultural and other sectors of the country.”

Adamu said: 鈥淚 urge you to consider your nomination into this committee as a privilege and another opportunity to serve and contribute toward safeguarding the lives and wellbeing of our people who can be affected by flood in future.”

Dr. Onyekachi Ibezim, Anambra State Deputy Governor, related that his state had suffered huge losses from the 2022 floods, as the flood disaster affected one-thirds of the local government areas in the state.

The Deputy Governor also disclosed that the Anambra State Government was deliberating on using excess water from flooding for hydropower generation, agency report said.

According to him, the inauguration of the Presidential Committee on Flood Disaster Prevention is timely.

Speaking at the event, Dr. Hassan Abdullahi, Honourable

Minister for Environment, said that human activities had caused flooding.

The Minister stated there聽 is a need for states in Nigeria to adhere to early warning signals.

Abdullahi urged states to be strictly enforcing building approvals so as to end indiscriminate practice of building on flood plains.

In his remarks, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, Honourable Minister for Health, said 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.

Ehanire noted that the impact of flooding on the health sector of the Nigerian economy could increase water-borne diseases.

He stated that the committee must proffer solutions towards health promotion and disease prevention.

Kindly Share This Story