FG to develop national plan to avert 2021 flooding

By Bisola Adeyemo

Federal government has aimed to develop a National Plan that will coordinate various flood management responses and interventions across the country to reduce the impact of floods.

The Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajiya Sadiya Umar Farouq, revealed this on Monday, at a technical stakeholders’ meeting to review the draft National Multi-Sectoral Flood Emergency Preparedness and Response Plan.

The minister noted that each year many people lose their lives, loved ones, homes and sources of livelihood to flooding.

“In 2012, which is arguably the worst flood incident in the country, over seven million persons were affected, but the Federal Government is poise to strengthen response and mitigation of disaster.

“Flooding has also been exacerbated in both frequency and magnitude due to climate change, other humanitarian crises, and quite frankly poor coordination of flood risk management cycle from a policy and operational point of view. It is against this background that in August 2020, President Muhammadu Buhari directed this ministry to works with the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and other relevant MDAs as well as relevant stakeholders.

“The aim was to develop a National Plan that will coordinate various flood management responses and interventions across the country, to reduce the impact of floods.

“In carrying out the presidential directive, the ministry hosted an Inter-Ministerial Committee meeting with the Ministers and Heads of Agencies of over 17 ministries, departments, and agencies in September 2020,” she said.