2013 Flood Alert: That NASS Warning

Last week Friday, the Nigerian Senate had cause to address the seeming indifference of Federal Emergencies and Disaster Management Agencies, when, the upper chamber of the National Assembly, directed its committees on Water Resources, Environment, Marine Transport and Special Duties to ascertain the preparedness of relevant ministries and institutions to contain the predicted heavy rainfall and impending floods in the country.
Since early this year, the National Meteorological Agency (NIMET) has repeatedly warned of devastating rain storms, far more calamitous than was experienced in parts of the country last year, resulting in floods with accompanying losses in human and material resources.
In fact, last year’s experience was such a national emergency that its aftermath in terms of logistics demands, medical intervention and indeed rehabilitation of displaced persons still remains a nightmare to many.
On the last count, no fewer than 1,500 lives were reportedly lost in nearly 12 states of the Federation, several left wounded, some of them fatally, while many Nigerians lost their homes and business places and were displaced. So disastrous and challenging were the flood that it took a special Presidential Intervention Committee headed by Alhaji Aliko Dangote and complemented by various states’ rehabilitation efforts to provide some measure of succour to victims.
The efforts of the Presidential Committee alone could not have been enough without commendable inputs by affected states, all of which still proved so capital intensive, that many Nigerians prayed that there never should be a repeat.
That is why the early alert by NIMET that this year’s rainfall would be far more than last year’s ought to worry all, particularly the Federal emergencies management agencies.  Yes, a natural disaster of the kind envisaged cannot be totally averted, but its consequences can be minimised if anticipated and planned for, through early preparations and relocation of those in most vulnerable areas, among other preventive measures.
Indeed, it was to ensure such containment and protect lives and properties that the Senate decided that an investigation be carried out to ascertain the true state of dams, canals and waterways in the country. The resolution followed a motion sponsored by Senator Eta Enang, and 39 others and which roundly condemned the seeming ill-preparedness of Federal agencies involved and tasked the Federal Government to be more proactive in planning for the impending disaster to ensure that lives and properties of Nigerians were adequately secured, this time around.
The Senators emphasised the need for the dredging and desilting of the River Niger, Cross River, River Benue and other inland waterways in Nigeria as a precautionary move towards averting greater danger of the floods.  With the predicted disaster timeline of June and July, just around the corner, The Tide agrees with the Senate that unless adequate preventive measures were put in place, the impending floods could leave behind very disastrous consequences in human and material losses.  Therefore, everything that needs to be done to avert such calamity should be done and in a timely manner.
With the ever-increasing changes in climatic conditions, there is no telling how sooner than predicted the heavy rains will set in.  Already, some parts of the country have started experiencing heavy storms with frightening consequences.  Last weekend for instance violent rainstorm wrecked unimaginable havoc on some communities in Etche, Rivers State and elsewhere.  Even at such reasonable low levels, the devastation in human and material losses were huge.
That, should be sufficient warning to disaster management agencies; federal, state and local government areas and indeed all stakeholders and help challenge them to appreciate the enormity of the danger that lurks around, and accordingly fashion proactive measures necessary to manage the consequences that come with the elements.
By now, we expect that the affected public agencies should have started pursuing robust enlightenment campaigns to educate the citizenry on basic environment management culture, start clearing of blocked drainages and construction of gutters and canals, where needed.   Efforts should also be made to consider relocation of those in most vulnerable areas  to safer high grounds in order to avert a repeat of last year’s huge disaster level.
The Tide commends NIMET and the Senate for the timely warning and reminder in exercise of its oversight on executive agencies respectively and insists that it should not end with mere resolution but indeed go further to get the cooperation and commitment of the Presidency to ensure proper executive compliance in the interest of all.  Beyond that, a working synergy among the various disaster management institutions, security establishments and governments at all levels will be key to achieving success, this time around.  That is the only way to avert repeat of last year’s experience.