By Abdullahi Lukman
The Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA Resource Centre) has urged the Federal Government to ensure full transparency, accountability, and coordination in the use of the newly approved ₦125.5 billion flood intervention fund.
The group warned that failure to implement strict oversight could lead to a repeat of past mismanagement, such as the widely criticised ecological fund.
In a statement signed by its Executive Secretary, Mr. Sulaimon Arigbabu, HEDA commended the initiative but stressed that the fund must be ring-fenced for flood prevention, mitigation, and response.
“This must not be business as usual,” Arigbabu said, referencing the 2012 ecological fund under the Jonathan administration, where victims reportedly received as little as ₦500 while political interests dominated disbursement.
The group called for a clear framework to track the utilisation of funds at both federal and state levels, including a public breakdown of allocations, implementing agencies, and targeted communities or projects.
HEDA also criticised the ₦10 billion allocated to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) as insufficient given its national role, urging that State Emergency Management Agencies (SEMAs) be empowered and held accountable, especially where they are currently inactive.
The group called on Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum to publicly release a comprehensive report on the September 2024 flooding caused by the Alau Dam, and demanded transparency over the deadly Mokwa flood in Niger State, which killed hundreds and displaced thousands.
“Flooding is no longer a seasonal surprise but a predictable disaster,” Arigbabu said, urging all stakeholders to invest in early warning systems, evacuation infrastructure, sustainable drainage, and community education to ensure the fund achieves its intended impact.
