…Directs govs to submit reports on current flood incidents for review
By Faridat Salifu
The National Economic Council (NEC) has reconstituted the flood committee to coordinate relief efforts to the deserving communities and people.
The new committee comprises the governors of Kogi, Oyo, Ebonyi, Bauchi, Bayelsa, and Jigawa states, alongside key federal ministers and officials, including the Ministers of Water Resources and Environment, the Director-Generals of NEMA, NiMet, and the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA).
In a related development, the NEC has directed all the state governors to submit detailed reports on the recent flood damages by Monday, September 9, as part of efforts to assess and respond to the widespread devastation caused by heavy flooding across the country.
The directive came after the 144th NEC meeting, chaired by Vice-President Kashim Shettima, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, on Wednesday.
Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State, who briefed reporters after the meeting, confirmed that the issue of flooding was extensively discussed.
According to the governor, lives have been lost, thousands of hectares of farmland have been destroyed, and numerous communities have been displaced, as revealed by data from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).
According to the Nasarawa State Governor, “The council has set Monday as the deadline for states to submit detailed reports of the damage, including the impact on farms, schools, and bridges. This will be considered in determining the appropriate support for affected states.”
Highlighting the assistance rendered the states over flooding issue, Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State acknowledged the federal government’s support, including a N3 billion relief fund provided to assist states in addressing the needs of flood victims.
Governor Mohammed noted that the flooding has been particularly devastating in the North East, where key transport links, such as the highway between Kano and Maiduguri, have been cut off.
He emphasized that the flooding has severely impacted households, schools, and farmlands, threatening food security as harvests may fall short of expectations.
The Bauchi State governor called for stronger collaboration between federal and state governments, particularly in the agricultural sector, to address the urgent need for food security in the wake of the floods.
He stressed the importance of comprehensive planning and coordination to mitigate the long-term effects of the flooding on food production and rural communities.