The Federal Government has called on stakeholders in the nation’s environment sector to come up with adequate strategies to address hazards posed by climate change in the country.
The Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Environment, Mr Mahmud Kambari, this call at the meeting of the technical committee on the review and update of the National Erosion and Flood Control Policy held in Abuja on Thursday.
He said the benefit of having the policy reviewed and updated for the nation is quite immense, he said it would assist in the reduction of losses and damages due to erosion and flooding.
He said: “The capacity of government organs to respond to these concerns would be enhanced, I want to assure you that the ministry reposes great confidence in this pool of experts to give the nation superlative results, it is therefore my pleasure to declare this Technical Committee meeting open and wish you fruitful deliberations.”
He revealed that: “The Federal Ministry of Environment, in its bid to address the twin issues of erosion and flood, developed the National Erosion and Flood Control Policy (NEFCOP) in 2005. The document was, approved by the Federal Executive Council and launched by President Olusegun Obasanjo.”
The Director of Erosion, Flood and Coastal Zone Management Department, Federal Ministry of Environment. Mr Etigbue Dilichukwu said the revisiting and mainstreaming relevant policies into Nigeria’s national adaptation plan is of utmost importance.
Dilichukwu noted that the potential benefits of having a comprehensive and up-to-date policy in this area are enormous, not only in reducing loss and damages but also in enhancing the country’s institutional framework and capacity to effectively respond to environmental concerns.
“On behalf of the Ministry, we extend our gratitude to our Partners and Collaborators for their unwavering support in tackling environmental challenges, with your continued collaboration as we strive to drive the implementation of a robust NEFCOP that will effectively address current and future challenges related to erosion and flooding.”
He, however, called for an open exchange of ideas and perspectives to work towards a stronger and more environmentally resilient Nigeria.
The National Project Coordinator of ACreSAL, Mr Abdulhamid Umar, said the project is working to permanently end the issues of flooding in Nigeria.
“Issues surrounding flood control and coastal challenges in this country are very central reasons the World Bank hasn’t found it necessary, to intervene by making very handsome amounts delegated to the implementation of this project,” he said.
He further said that the agencies of the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) project will support the implementation of all the policies that will be reached at the technical session.
Umar said the government must ensure compliance and penalties for people who illegally destroyed structures and infrastructure that are supposed to help in controlling flood hazards.
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