Develop contingency plans to curb flooding, ActionAid urges govts

A civil society organisation, ActionAid Nigeria, has called on the Federal and state governments to develop contingency plans in view of warnings of severe flooding by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency and the Nigerian Emergency Management Agency.

The Country Director of AAN, Ene Obi, made this call at a press conference in Abuja, where she charged governments of the coastal states to communicate their contingency plans to the people.

“Now is time for Nigeria, particularly states that were heavily hit last year; Bayelsa, Jigawa, Anambra, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Lagos, Abia, and Edo amongst others, to activate their flood preparedness plan, and communicate same to likely communities to be affected to minimise possible losses.”

Obi who was represented by AAN Director Programmes, Suweba Dakwanbo, said the national and state contingencies must put into consideration
NiMET’s prediction of a severe dry spell  likely to last between 15 and 21  days or longer, between June and early July in some Northern states, as well as the agency’s call for high vigilance of meningitis which is anticipated over the extreme North-East of the country.

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The Country Director noted that floods in Nigeria in the past year, had affected 1.4 million people across  31 states, displaced over 700,000, with an estimate of 500 deaths recorded.

Obi urged the government to lead anticipatory actions to prevent flood disasters.

She added that the group was open to partnerships, to provide support for families still recovering from the 2022 floods.

“Preventing the flood disaster and its implications on lives and livelihoods is a collective
responsibility of all, with the Nigerian government in the leading space.

“We want to see government leading in anticipatory action and contingency planning with non-governmental organisations, corporate organisations, philanthropic individuals, and other stakeholders actively participating.

“ActionAid Nigeria welcomes partnership with corporate organisations and philanthropists through her community sponsorship initiative
to provide support for families and communities still trying to recover from the flood in 2022 and those likely to be affected this year,” she said.