President Bola Tinubu has directed an immediate plan of action to stem the tide of impending flooding across the country.
POLITICS NIGERIA reports that the president’s directive came during an emergency meeting presided over by Vice-President Kashim Shettima, following submissions by the director-general of the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) and other relevant stakeholders.
“Based on the submissions by the director-general of NIHSA, the situation is not that terrible, but to be forewarned is to be forearmed,” Mr Shettima said. “The submissions by the other relevant stakeholders are equally poignant, and we can’t afford to take chances.”
Mr Tinubu appointed Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi as the chairman of a committee to produce a road map to harmonise the recent National Economic Council (NEC) report on flood, the 2022 National Flood Emergency Preparedness and Response Plan, as well as all other national reports on flood.
The deputy governor of Akwa Ibom state, Senator Akon Eyakenyi, was appointed to serve as the vice-chairman of the committee, which is expected to submit its recommendations in seven days.
The vice-president also noted that the North East Development Commission (NEDC), Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), and the federal government would share responsibilities in addressing the flood crisis in Nigeria.
“I deliberately invited the NEDC and NDDC so that with whatever resources that NEMA has, they have to be released to the states so that they can start making preparations for any eventuality,” Mr Shettima explained.
The vice-president said that for states like Ebonyi, Kogi and Benue states, the government would mobilise from its savings and deploy the same to assist them.
“We have to share responsibilities and hence the immediate need for the roadmap to be implemented,” he stated.
