Environment
Flood Victims Seek More Help FromTinubu And NEMA
Beneficiaries of relief materials distributed during the 2025 flooding in Akwa Ibom State have expressed appreciation to President Bola Tinubu and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).
They gave the commendations on Friday when a NEMA Monitoring and Evaluation Team led by Mr. Manzo Ezekiel visited Uyo to assess the impact of the interventions.
While the residents acknowledged the supports, ranging from building materials to essential household items, they stressed that the relief provided was insufficient compared to the scale of destruction caused by the flooding.
They, therefore, appealed for more sustained and long-term solutions.
Mr Emmanuel Ekong, one of the beneficiaries and resident of Use- Offot in Uyo metropolis, who received bags of cement and bundles of zinc, expressed appreciation to the federal government and NEMA for the support.
Ekong, however, said the relief materials were “grossly inadequate, as it could not completely assuage the suffering experienced during the flooding”.
“NEMA came here and donated some bags of cement to us to help rebuild the fence that collapsed due to flooding in this community.
“I want to thank NEMA, Federal Government immensely for what they have done. I also want to urge that they should take steps to completely take away flood water from this community.
“We want NEMA to do more, because what they gave us was negligible, considering the magnitude of flooding in this area,” Ekong said.
The team also visited the Afaha Offot community, widely prone for flooding, and met with the Village Head, Chief David Etuk, who thanked Tinubu and NEMA for the support to victims.
Etuk appealed to governments and NEMA to do more to alleviate the suffering of the people in the community.
“I want to thank NEMA for always finding time to visit us; not once, not twice.
“We have been interacting with the agency periodically, and they have paid on-the-spot visit to flood ravaging areas within this community.
“The flood is so enormous that the village is always taken over by water and we have written to the federal and state governments to come to our rescue, by providing a lasting solution.
“I want to thank NEMA for always being there for us in terms of relief materials.
“They will come and when we take them round, they will invite us to come and get relief items, like foodstuffs, but we still need more,” Etuk said.
Another beneficiary, Miss Mary Dennis, thanked NEMA for the materials she eceived during the period.
“My name is Mary Dennis from Uyo LGA, I collected some items from the Federal Government through NEMA.
“My house was flooded and all my things were damaged and the federal government came to my aid by giving me, a mattress, blanket, mat, stove and bucket.
“I thank them for the gesture” she said.
In his comment after the exercise, Ezekiel, Head of Media, NEMA headquarters, said the visit was to hear directly from the beneficiaries.
Ezekiel said information gathered from the field would be processed and sent to the management for proper planning to serve the people better.
He assured the people that NEMA and the federal government were not just concerned about the interventions, but the plights and difficulties the victims were passing through.
“We are in a mission to connect with people, who were affected by flooding and to interact with them to get some feedback on our interventions.
“The meeting is also to evaluate the support they have received and to give them the sense of belonging that NEMA and the federal government are concerned about their plights.
“The reactions we have received from people, who have benefited from our interventions, are overwhelming.
“It is good that we have come here to hear from them, that they had received relief materials sent to them through our operational office in Uyo.
“They have all appreciated our interventions, but some of the issues mentioned by the people have to do with ecological interventions.
“That is not directly under our purview, but we will take the message to the appropriate authorities for action,” Ezekiel said.
He urged the people to take measures to prevent flooding within their communities by desilting drainage around them.
“There are little things residents can do to avoid flooding – keep your environment clean, stop dumping of refuse into gutters when it rains, and desilting of drainages properly.
“We are happy that the interventions we rendered are receiving positive feedback from the people that benefited from our assistance,” he said.
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The Lagos Water Corporation (LWC) has commenced discussions with Julius Berger Nigeria Plc to strengthen coordination between water and road infrastructure projects.
This is contained in a statement issued by the corporation.
The corporation said the engagement followed a courtesy and familiarisation visit led by its Managing Director, Mr Mukhtaar Tijani, to Julius Berger’s Ijora office.
It said the visit was aimed at strengthening institutional relations and creating opportunities for deeper collaboration between both organisations.
The corporation stressed the importance of cordial relationships with neighbouring organisations and strategic stakeholders to promote future collaboration.
The meeting focused on road construction, water pipeline protection, water infrastructure development and sustainable water supply across Lagos Island and its environs.
Both organisations highlighted the need for early communication and technical coordination to prevent conflicts between road projects and existing water infrastructure.
Julius Berger Regional Commercial Manager, Region West, Mr Alexander Bauer, reaffirmed the company’s commitment to sustainable engineering solutions rather than short-term fixes.
Bauer stressed the importance of early stakeholder engagement and proper coordination before construction activities begin.
The meeting also examined access to project drawings and technical information required to improve coordination between water and road infrastructure projects.
Julius Berger explained that releasing detailed project drawings remained subject to approval from the appropriate client.
Both organisations therefore agreed on the need to engage the Lagos State Government to secure necessary approvals and strengthen technical collaboration.
The discussions also focused on accurate pipeline information and its importance in planning future water infrastructure and urban development projects.
The LWC delegation raised concerns about uncoordinated borehole drilling and its potential effects on groundwater resources and the ecosystem.
Participants noted that stronger public water supply systems could reduce dependence on individual boreholes and help protect underground water resources.
Construction & Maintenance
They also agreed on the importance of sharing information on construction activities, road conditions, project schedules and potential disruptions.
Security and community considerations were also discussed, with Julius Berger highlighting its engagement with relevant authorities on security infrastructure within the area.
The meeting ended with a shared commitment to open communication, stronger technical coordination and exploring further opportunities for collaboration.
The engagement is expected to strengthen synergies between water and road infrastructure planning and support resilient and sustainable infrastructure development across Lagos.
Some Climate Experts across Africa have called for investment in African youth to enhance future security.
They made the call on Wednesday during a webinar organised by Planet, People and Peace Foundation (PPPF), a non-governmental organisation, to observe 2026 International Youth Day (IYD).
According to them, there is a need to invest, listen and create opportunities for young African people.
The Tide source reports that the 2026 theme of the IYD is “Different Contexts, Common Aspirations’’.
Miss Bisi Kumuyi, the Secretary, Climate Beyond Border Caravan (CBBC), Nigeria, who canvassed for investment in youth, said the future of Africa would be determined by the opportunities the continent created for its young people today.
The CBBC, an initiative of PPPF, is a pan-African, youth-led campaign promoting climate action, cross-border cooperation and green economic transformation across the continent.
‘‘As Africa joins the rest of the world to commemorate International Youth Day on Aug. 12, 2026, we celebrate the energy, creativity, resilience and determination of young Africans who continue to shape the continent’s present and future.
‘‘This year’s theme reminds us that young people across Africa live in different social, economic and cultural circumstances.
‘‘They share common aspirations: access to quality education, decent employment, innovation, peace, inclusion, environmental sustainability and opportunities to fulfil their potential,’’ she said.
Also speaking, Mrs Nouran Farouk, an Egyptian Climate Activist, called for urgent investment in Africa’s youth.
According to her, Africa is the world’s youngest continent, and its youthful population represented one of its greatest assets.
The Centre for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) has unveiled a research report on impacts of climate change on Persons With Disabilities (PWDs), calling for its implementation in the country.
The Acting Director CCD, Mr Godwin Unumeri, made the call at the public presentation of the report titled: “Disability-Inclusive Greenhouse Gas Emission and Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation in Nigeria” on Wednesday in Lagos.
The event brought together government institutions, development partners, civil society organisations, persons with disabilities and other key stakeholder to foster dialogue, collaboration and stronger commitment to disability-inclusive climate change adaptation and mitigation in Nigeria.
Unumeri urged stakeholders to strengthen collaboration and policy commitment toward building climate resilience and ensuring the inclusion of persons with disabilities in Nigeria’s climate response.
He noted that valuable insights and recommendations from stakeholders at a validation workshop in February had been incorporated into the report.
According to him, effective implementation of the recommendations requires sustained collaboration, strong policy commitment, adequate resource mobilisation and coordinated action across sectors.
“By working together, we can translate these findings into practical interventions that strengthen climate resilience and ensure the full inclusion of persons with disabilities in Nigeria’s climate response,” he said.
In her remarks, the General Manager, Lagos State Office for Disability Affairs (LASODA), Adenike Oyetunde-Lawal, urged the stakeholders to ensure that the report would be translated into practical interventions to enhance full inclusion of PWDs particularly in climate change policies.
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