Disasters: Consultant Scores Agencies Low

With environment experts still overwhelmed on how well the environment could be brought back to shape after the last devastating flood, a management consultant in Rivers State, Chief Waris Ali, has scored the various environmental agencies low.

Chief Ali who bared his mind on the contentious issue in an exclusive interview with our correspondent over the weekend  at a public function in Owerewere Emughan, Abua, said “to my mind, most of these agencies and organisations were busy struggling on how to share funds.”

He said Nigeria was a country that was blessed and that natural disasters don’t happen frequently.

He said each time there was a problem “we’re always left gasping for breath with feeling of frustration.

He was of the opinion that if we do not manage our problems adequately, the international community would not take us to be a serious nation.

Chief Ali said that all the environment and disaster management agencies including the various NGOs should come together and consult with one another and put forward a proper plan.

According to him, the agencies should be able to recognise the situation on ground, to look at remedial actions and thirdly consider what should be done in preventing further occurrence.

He said even when it has occurred like the last flooding, appropriate action should be taken to see that the farmers and the environment do not suffer unduly.

He said it was not enough for NEMA, the Federal Ministry of Environment among others to have bought a few items like mattresses and other accessories.

He further said that the huge sum made available to the agencies was a far cry from what they usually provide at emergencies.

“It is known that over the years Nigeria has voted billions of naira for emergency purposes, “they will claim to have bought a few items like food and some blankets among them” he said.

According to him in the recent flooding despite the relief efforts put in place, it was evident that food prices has soared.

“Right now garri is as high as N3000 per basis and plantain is hard to come by at our markets” he lamented.

He said there was need for a proper Environmental  Impact Assessment (EIA) done to ascertain the level of environmental damage the flood may have caused.

In a chat with our correspondent at his country home Aminigboko in Emughen Clan of Abua/Odual local government area of the State, Mr Charles Melly-Osila said forecasts should be taken seriously because by last flooding according to him was accurately forecast.

He warned that recent forecast has also revealed that there would be another flooding this year.

He advised that now that the flood has come and gone with the attendant damages, what should be done now was the processes of restoring the environment.

“You talk about the dams that were let loose or broken “you talk about the repairs of such dams” even as he said there were plans by the Federal government to build more dams.

He added that the process should be hastened so that excess water would be successfully diverted when the rains fully returns.

This he said would ensure proper channeling of excess water.