News
Severe Flooding Kills 100 In 10 States
Nigeria has declared a national disaster after severe flooding left about 100 people dead across 10 states, the country’s main relief agency said, yesterday.
Heavy seasonal rains have caused the Niger and Benue rivers to burst their banks, inundating communities, farms and trapping tens of thousands of people in their homes.
Speaking with newsmen, yesterday, the Director-General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mustapha Maihaja, declared flooding a national disaster in four states including Kogi, Niger, Delta and Anambra, placing eight others on the watch list.
NEMA made the declaration last Monday, days after the President ordered the agency to declare the situation a national disaster.
Following the order, Maihaja had earlier inaugurated five Emergency Operation Centres (EOC) to facilitate prompt search and rescue operations as well as humanitarian support in the 12 states worst affected by flooding.
The Emergency Response Centres will be responsible for planning, organising, directing and supervising deployment of resources with the affected state governments and local authorities and communities.
The primary objective is to localise the responses and expedite intervention to save lives and facilitate quick recovery.
At the command centre in Abuja, the NEMA DG and other chief executives will be responsible for the formulation of policy and operational guidelines for the conduct of emergency operations in all the worst affected states.
The Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) had earlier warned that the steady rise in water levels and weather forecast in the coming weeks have put Nigeria at risk of witnessing a recurrence of the catastrophic flooding similar to what it witnessed in 2012.
In 2012, catastrophic flooding had affected up to 30 states in the country and resulted in the deaths of over 300 people and displaced more than two million people, according to data from NEMA.
NIHSA, therefore, believes the country is at risk of a recurrence of the disaster if proper steps are not taken.
With the increase in rainfall and the daily rise in the water levels on both the rivers Niger and Benue, many states have fallen victim to the flooding which has killed many and rendered several others homeless.
In Kogi State, 10 local governments have been submerged by flood in the last 72 hours, according to the state governor, Yahaya Bello.
As a result, 33 camps have been created for the victims numbering about 4,000.
Also in Niger State, more than 100 communities have been submerged, Channels tv reports.
In Kano State, Government has confirmed the death of 31 people and destruction of more than 10,000 houses during the recent flood disaster in 15 Local Government Areas of the state.
Alhaji Ali Bashir, the Executive Secretary of the State Emergency Relief and Rehabilitation Agency (SERERA) disclosed this in an interview with newsmen in Kano .
Bashir said that the cost of the disaster, which wreaked havoc on more than 10,000 houses in the affected areas, was estimated at over N5 billion.
“Thirty one people lost their lives and more than 10,000 houses that are estimated at over N5 billion were affected.
“Most of the affected houses were either totally or partially destroyed,” the Executive Secretary said.
He explained that no fewer than 35,000 farmers were also affected by the disaster in eight local government areas of the state.
In Edo State, at least 30,000 persons have been displaced by flood submerged 42 communities in Esan South East Local Government Area of Edo.
Newsmen report that over 8,000 houses and thousands of hectares of farmland were affected by the flood.
The communities that are mostly are on the bank of River Niger, and had their crops, such as rice, were washed away by the flood.
The council chairman, Mr Victor Emuankhagbon, while lamenting the loss, called for urgent assistance for the victims.
He said because of the enormous destruction occasioned by the flood, there was little or nothing the council could do.
While noting that no fewer than 30,000 persons were displaced by the flood, he said a temporary camp was set up to accommodate the displaced.
“It is huge natural disaster which mainly affected Ifeku Island and Illushi mainland.
The destruction is such that I cannot quantify the loss. “I am appealing to all relevant government agencies, as well as the state and Federal government, to come to the aid of the victims. “The disaster is mind boggling.
Homes are submerged, some destroyed, farmlands and crops washed away.
People don’t have homes to sleep in, no dry land to even cook their meals. “We are in the process of evacuating them to safer locations.
But the job is obviously beyond us; hence we are calling on both the state and federal governments to come to our aid without delay,” said Emuankhagbon.
The council boss listed some of the affected communities to include: Illushi Oji, Oji Ozigono, Oji Awenje, Ajobe, Ajabutu, Owoli, Iyegbi and Ukpodo.
Emuankhagbon noted that four wards out of the ten wards in the council, were affected by the disaster.
Also in Niger State, Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA) yesterday disclosed that 160 communities had been submerged by flood in the state since the rains began in June.
Alhaji Ibrahim Inga, Director General, NSEMA, disclosed this when officials from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Kaduna Field Office, visited him to assess the extent of flooding in the state.
Inga said that the state government had approved release of N28 million to NSEMA to cater for displaced flood victims in Internally Displaced Person (IDP) camps.
He said that the agency had established seven IDP camps for families and persons whose communities were submerged by the flood.
According to the director-general, the IDP camps are located at Zungeru Central Primary School, Maikakaki, Muye, Ceku, Ebbo, Gbaciku and Gungu.
“The flood situation confronting us in Niger is beyond the state’s capacity, even one year of the state’s budget cannot solve the problem, and children and women are the most vulnerable,’’ he said.
Inga said that the Nigerian Air Force, Nigeria Association of Medical Practitioners, Red Cross and the State Child Rights Agency were partnering the agency to give aid to victims, especially children and women.
Earlier, Mr Rabiu Musa, Communication Officer and Focal Person Emergency, UNICEF Kaduna Field Office, said that the team was on assessment of the flood situation in the state.
“Our visit to Niger is to assess the situation and report back on what we have seen for further decision and action,’’ Musa said.
In another development, All primary, post primary and tertiary schools in Ogbaru Local Government Area of Anambra have been temporarily closed down in reaction to the flood disaster in the area.
The council Chairman, Mr Arinze Awogu disclosed this while inaugurating the distribution of relief materials at the council headquarters, Atani yesterday.
Awogu said the closure of the schools was in line with the directive of Gov. Willie Obiano who said schools in the affected areas should close down to avert loss of life.
“We are in an emergency situation and for us, safety of life is paramount, people will not have need for education when they are dead.
The council boss said Ogbaru had taken delivery of buckets, mattresses, mats, mosquito nets and blankets from the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) but noted that it was still a far cry from what was required.
Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari said on Monday he had approved the release of three billion naira ($8.3 million, 7.1 million euros) to buy medical and relief materials.
Flooding along the rivers is a frequent occurrence during the annual rains, which fall from May to September.
Vice President Kashim Shettima has arrived in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, for an official State visit at the invitation of the Prime Minister, Dr. Abiy Ahmed.
Upon arrival yesterday, Shettima was received at the airport by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, Dr. Gedion Timothewos, and other members of the Ethiopian and Nigerian diplomatic corps.
Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Communication, Stanley Nkwocha, revealed this in a statement he signed yesterday, titled: “VP Shettima arrives in Ethiopia for official state visit.”
During the visit, Vice President Shettima will participate in the official launch of Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Programme, a flagship environmental initiative.
The programme designed to combat deforestation, enhance biodiversity, and mitigate the adverse effects of climate change targets the planting of 20 billion tree seedlings over a four-year period.
In line with strengthening bilateral ties in agriculture and industrial development, the Vice President will also embark on a strategic tour of key industrial zones and integrated agricultural facilities across selected regions of Ethiopia.
News
RSG Tasks Farmers On N4bn Agric Loan ….As RAAMP Takes Sensitization Campaign To Four LGs In Rivers
The Rivers State Government has called on the people of the state especially farmers to access the ?4billion agricultural loans made available by the State and domiciled in the Bank of Industry.
This is as the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) of Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP), a World Bank project, took its sensitization campaign to Opobo/Nkoro, Andoni, Port Harcourt City and Obio/Akpor local government areas.
The campaign was aimed at enlightening community dwellers and other stakeholders in the various local government areas on the RAAMP project implementation and programme activities.
The Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Agriculture, Mr Maurice Ogolo, said this at Opobo town, Ngo, Port Harcourt City and Rumuodumanya, headquarters of the four local government areas respectively, during the sensitization campaign.
Ogolo said apart from the ?4billion, the government has also made available fertilizers and other farm inputs to farmers in the various local government areas.
The Permanent Secretary who is the Chairman, State Steering Committee for the project, said RAAMP will construct roads that will connect farms to markets to enable farmers and fishermen sell their farms produce and fishes.
He also said rural roads would be constructed to farms and fishing settlements, and warned against any act that will lead to the cancellation of the projects in the four local government areas.
According to him, the World Bank and Federal Government which are the financiers of the programme will not condone such acts like kidnapping, marching ground and other acts inimical to the successful implementation of the projects in their respective areas.
At PHALGA, Ogolo asserted that the city will benefit in the areas of roads and bridge construction.
He noted that RAAMP was thriving in both the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja; Lagos and other states in the country, stressing that the project should also be given the seriousness it deserves in Rivers State.
Speaking at Opobo town, the headquarters of Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area, the project coordinator, RAAMP, Mr.Joshua Kpakol, said the programme would reduce poverty in the state.
According to him, both fishermen and farmers will maximally benefit from the programme.
At Ngo which is the headquarters of Andoni Local Government Area, Kpakol said roads will be constructed to all remote fishing settlements.
He said Rivers State is lucky to be among the states implementing the project, and stressed the need for the people to embrace it.
Meanwhile, Kpakol said at PHALGA that RAAMP is a project that will transform the lives of farmers, traders and other stakeholders in the area.
He urged the stakeholders to spread the information to their various communities.
However, some of the stakeholders at Opobo town complained about the destruction of their farms by bulls allegedly owed by traditional rulers in the area, as well as incessant stealing of their canoes at waterfronts.
At Ngo, Archbishop Elkanah Hanson, founder of El-Shaddai Church, commended the World Bank and the Federal Government for bringing the projects to Andoni.
He stressed the need for the construction of roads to fishing settlements in the area.
Also, a former Commissioner for Agriculture in the state and Okan Ama of Ekede, HRH King Gad Harry, noted that storage facilities have become necessary for a successful agricultural programme.
Harry also stressed the need for the programme to be made sustainable.
In their separate speeches, the administrators of Andoni and Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Areas, pledged their readiness to support the programme.
At Port Harcourt City, the Administrator, Dr Arthur Kalagbor, represented by the Head of Local Government Administration, Port Harcourt City, Mr Clifford Paul, said the city would support the implementation of the programme in the area.
Also, the administrator of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Dr Clifford Ndu Walter, represented by Mr Michael Elenwo, pledged to support the programme in his local government area.
Among dignitaries at the Obio/Akpor stakeholders engagement is the chairman, Rivers State Traditional Rulers Council and paramount ruler of Apara Kingdom, HRM Eze Chike Wodo, amongst others.
John Bibor
President Bola Tinubu has ordered the commencement of personnel audit and skill gap analysis across all cadres of federal civil servants.
The president gave this directive in Abuja, yesterday, while speaking at the International Civil Service Conference, reaffirming his resolve to achieve efficiency and professional service delivery in the civil service.
“I have authorized the comprehensive personnel audit and skill gap analysis across the federal civil service to deepen capacity. I urge all responsible stakeholders to prioritize timely completion of this critical exercise, to begin implementing targeted reforms, to realize the full benefit of a more agile, competent and responsive civil service,” the president announced.
Tinubu further directed all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), to prioritise data integrity and sovereignty in national interest.
He called for the capture, protection and strategic publication of public sector data in line with the Nigeria Data Protection Act of 2023.
“We must let our data speak for us. We must publish verified data assets within Nigeria and share them internationally recognized as fruitful. This will allow global benchmarking organisation to track our progress in real time and help us strengthen our position on the world stage. This will preserve privacy and uphold data sovereignty,” Tinubu added.
President Tinubu hailed the federal civil service as the “engine” driving his Renewed Hope Agenda, and the vehicle for delivering sustainable national development.
He submitted that the roles of civil servants remain indispensable in modern governance, declaring that in the face of a fast-evolving digital and economic landscape, the civil service must remain agile, future-ready, and results-driven.
“This maiden conference is a bold step toward redefining governance in an era of rapid transformation. An innovative Civil Service ensures we meet today’s needs and overcome tomorrow’s challenges.
“It captures our collective ambition to reimagine and reposition the civil service. In today’s rapid, evolving world of technology, innovation remains critical in ensuring that the civil service is dynamic, digital” the President said.
Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Walson-Jack in her welcome address told the President that his presence and strong words of commendation at the conference has renewed the morale and mandate of public servants across the country.
Walson-Jack described Tinubu as the backbone of driving transformation in the Nigerian civil service, and noted that the takeaways from past study tours undertaken to understudy the civil service in Singapore, the UK and US under her leadership, is already yielding multiplier effects.
Walson-Jack assured Tinubu that her office, in collaboration with reform-minded stakeholders, will not relent in accelerating the implementation of the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan, FCSSIP 25.
She affirmed that digitalisation, performance management, and continuous learning remain key pillars in strengthening accountability, transparency, and service delivery across MDAs.
Walson-Jack reaffirmed that the civil service is determined to exceed expectations by embedding a culture of innovation, ethical leadership, and citizen-centred governance in the heart of public administration.