Expert Blames Poor Governance, Public Distrust for 200 Deaths in Mokwa Flood

Emma Okonji and Agnes Ekebuike

In the wake of the devastating Mokwa flood in Niger State, which claimed over 200 lives and destroyed nearly 600 homes, a renowned analyst, expert and former government official, Dr. Sam Amadi, has blamed the situation on systemic failures in governance, lack of accountability and unpreparedness on the part of government to tackle impending disasters

Amadi, who spoke yesterday on ARISE News Channel, the broadcast arm of THISDAY Newspapers, highlighted the recurring neglect in the use of Nigeria’s Ecological Fund, a special reserve intended for emergency environmental responses. 

“The political economy around such funds often turns them into slush funds,” Amadi said, emphasising that less than 30 per cent of such allocations typically reach affected communities in any meaningful way.

Amadi stressed that while natural disasters remained inevitable, the severity of their impact is often compounded by man-made failures, particularly in governance, infrastructure, and communication. 

He pointed out that despite early warnings from agencies like NIMET, community resistance to evacuation is a reflection of deep-seated distrust in government.

“If people believe that evacuation leads to abandonment, or that promised relief never comes, they’ll stay and risk death,” he noted.

Although Amadi hailed the Vice President’s recent visit to Mokwa, where he pledged N2 billion for rehabilitation, he,however, expressed concern about the absence of mechanisms for tracking the distribution and impact of such relief.

“We throw money at problems, but lack systems for transparent disbursement and accountability,” he said, warning that without proper safeguards, relief efforts could again be mired in corruption. The flood’s devastation has been worsened by the poor quality of public infrastructure, including embankments, bridges, and even roads, which were not built to withstand extreme weather,” Amadi said. 

He pointed out that there was little evidence of change or learning from past floods, saying: “You won’t find new evacuation corridors or improved community engagement strategies even in previously affected areas.”

He also lamented the decline in national dialogue around climate change, which he attributed to both political distractions and a lack of institutional capacity.

“While previous administrations particularly under former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo showed intellectual sensitivity and commitment to climate preparedness, the current government appears to lack both the bandwidth and urgency to address long-term environmental threats,” Amadi further said.

According to him, “We are entering an age of conflict, not just between nations, but between man and nature. If our institutions cannot build the capabilities to respond intelligently and swiftly, tragedies like Mokwa will keep occurring.”