President Tinubu Directs Immediate Action Plan To Tackle Floodin

STATE HOUSE PRESS RELEASE

In response to growing concerns about potential flooding crises across the nation, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has mandated an immediate action plan to alleviate the ramifications of such a disaster.

To facilitate this, Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, has been designated the chairman of a committee responsible for synthesizing the recent National Economic Council (NEC) report on flooding, the 2022 National Flood Emergency Preparedness and Response Plan, and all other pertinent national flood reports.

The committee’s vice-chairman will be the Deputy Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Senator Akon Eyakenyi. The committee is charged with producing their findings and recommendations within a week.

An emergency meeting, led by Vice President Kashim Shettima at the President’s request today, highlighted the urgent need for proactive measures, rather than merely reacting to crises. Reflecting on insights shared by the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency’s DG, President Tinubu emphasized the importance of preparedness, even if the situation doesn’t seem dire.

The Vice President relayed the President’s sentiments, emphasizing the importance of immediate harmonization and implementation of existing preparedness plans.

VP Shettima suggested a strategic roadmap to tackle Nigeria’s flood issues, delegating responsibilities among the North East Development Commission (NEDC), Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), and the Federal Government. He underscored the importance of the NEDC and NDDC’s involvement, stating that they should be prepared to address eventualities within their jurisdictions.

Regarding resource allocation and responsibility-sharing, he stated: “The NEDC should handle states like Taraba, Bauchi, and Adamawa. The NDDC should oversee Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta, and Cross River. As for states like Ebonyi, Kogi, and Benue, we will allocate funds from our savings to support them.”

The meeting featured presentations by Chief Executives from agencies like the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA), and National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), with feedback from various state governors.

The committee’s ensemble includes the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo; Minister of State for Environment, Kunle Salako; and Chief Executives of NEMA, NIWA, and NiHSA, among others. Rukaiya El-Rufai, Special Adviser to the President on NEC and Climate Change, is the committee’s appointed secretary.

Stanley Nkwocha Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Communications (Office of the Vice President) 10th October, 2023