*NEMA urges south-south states to relocate from flood-prone communities
*House seeks end to flood in Jigawa, Kano as scores die from disaster
Deji Elumoye and Juliet Akoje in Abuja and Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt
The National Economic Council (NEC) yesterday rose from its monthly meeting with a call on the 36 states to adopt measures to step up service delivery at the grassroots on how to mitigate flood disasters this season.
This was the highpoint of the NEC meeting presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at the State House, Abuja.
The media assistant to the Vice President, Laolu Akande, in a statement issued after the meeting said the Council received a briefing on flood management from the ministry of humanitarian affairs and disaster management and the National Emergency Management Agency
He said the response strategy adopted by the NEC was the operationalisation of the NEMA call center, identification of equipment and personnel, emergency relief intervention: Food and non-food items to impacted communities, and compiling records of sudden onset disasters nationwide
Consequently, the states decided to, “implement measures in the National flood emergency preparedness and response plan.
“Equip NEMA, SEMA, and other response agencies with necessary resources for the emergency response to communities and persons affected by flood
“Strengthen states and LGAs institutions for flood preparedness, Mitigation, and Response, etc.
The NCDC also presented to NEC an update on COVID-19 and Monkey Pox.”
According to the statement, for Covid-19, the Global caseload was stable, high burden of cases in 2021 is comparable to 2022 so far.
“Test Positivity Rate in Nigeria is 16.9% as at 36th week, No death in the past week, while six States returned no testing at all
“Trends show that COVID-19 cases have increased by three per cent across the states & FCT.
“It noted that the COVID-19 pandemic is not over.”
The NCDC, therefore, urged the states to commit to more testing, including routine testing and frequent testing for health workers while also stressing the need for private health institutions to be encouraged to do more testing.
It stated that the situation report on Monkeypox showed 318 suspected cases in 30 states, and total death standing at seven.
Also, at the NEC meeting, outgoing Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State and Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), lauded the vice president, saying with Osinbajo as NEC Chairman, the Council has done a lot to ensure that the country is a true federation.
Fayemi, on the occasion, said having served in previous NEC and longer than most current members, he can affirm that the VP’s leadership has been outstanding, adding that the Council has never had the kind of leadership that Osinbajo has provided.
NEMA Urges South-south States to Relocate from Flood-prone Communities
Meanwhile, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has urged governments of the south-south states to relocate flood-prone communities in their various states to a safe and higher ground.
The Zonal Coordinator NEMA South-south, Mr. Godwin Tepikor, who made the call yesterday, at his office in Port Harcourt, listed Bayelsa, Cross River and Rivers State as most affected states in the region.
Tepikor recalled that the Director General of NEMA, Mustapha Amhed, early this week held a technical meeting to review the flooding emergency situation in the country.
According to Tepikor, the meeting alerted the nation on the predicted flooding based on the communication with the Nigerian Hydrological Services Agency (NHSA) that the Lagdo dam operators in the Republic of Cameroon commenced the release of excess water from the reservoir from September 13.
Tepikor however, urged the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) to prepare state level actors to be adequately ready to the very important call on flood prediction in the country.
“SEMA should intensify efforts to move away communities that are at risk and identify save higher grounds for evacuation of persons and preposition platforms like boats that will assist in the evacuation of people at risk,” he said.
Tepikor also called on the Rivers State government to adequately stockpile food stocks and non-food items, portable water for hygiene, safety and security, in order to enable those that would be evacuated when flood occurs to have a fair level of comfort during their period of displacement.
He said NEMA had taken the advocacy to the predicted communities in the four local government in the Orashi region in Rivers where the traditional rulers, the community development councils, youths and women have been informed to be prepare on the predicted flood.
“Though we cannot do enough until the flood has come and gone, so it is imperative that they intensify their efforts so that the impact of the flooding will be mitigated as soon as possible,” Tepikor added.
House Seeks End to Flood in Jigawa, Kano
In a related development, the House of Representatives has urged the Ecological Fund Office and NEMA to take practical measures towards forestalling future occurrences of flood by enlightening residents of Jigawa and Kano States on early warning signs, clear drainages and canals to ease the flow of water.
The House also urged the state governments to embark on an awareness campaign for possible response activities in high risk areas to mitigate further disaster.
Consequently, the lawmakers urged the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development to provide urgent relief assistance to the affected communities.
These was sequel to the adoption of a motion on the need to Curb the Perennial Flood Disasters in Jigawa and Kano States moved by Hon. Abubakar Hassan Fulata, Hon. Ado Sani Kiri, Hon. Aliya Datti Yako, Hon. Saidu Yusuf Miga, Hon. Muhammad Ali Wudil, Hon. Usman Ibrahim Auyo, Hon. Abubakar Makki Yalleman, Hon. Bala Mustapha Dawaki, Hon. Idris Kabiru and Hon. Kabiru Alhassan Rurum at plenary on thursday.
Fulata while presenting the motion noted that the Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NiMet) on August 16, 2022, had predicted the possible heavy and prolonged rainfall in 19 states between August and September including Kano/Jigawa, and had called on the affected states to intensify mitigation, adaptation and response mechanisms.
