Governors meet NEMA, NiMet DGs, seek ‘comprehensive’ response to flooding

Members of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) say they are ready to work with the relevant stakeholders to have a “comprehensive” response to the incidence of flooding across the country.

In a communique issued after an emergency meeting in Abuja on Wednesday, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, NGF chair and governor of Kwara, said the governors resolved to collaborate with government agencies to draft a comprehensive response plan.

“The forum received a briefing from the directors-general of NEMA and Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) on the incidence of flooding across the country and deliberated on urgent proactive measures to save lives, livelihoods, critical infrastructure and safeguarding national food security,” AbdulRazaq said.

“Members resolved to collaborate with relevant agencies in arriving at a comprehensive and federal response while leveraging the 2023 seasonal climate prediction (SCP), annual flood outlook (AFO), flood risk maps, and the climate-related disaster preparedness and mitigation strategy.”

AbdulRazaq said NEMA as part of ways to tackle disasters, suggested that states set up functional state emergency management agencies (SEMAs), local emergency management committees (LEMCs) and community volunteers with adequate legal backing, funding and trained manpower.

“On their part, governors requested NEMA and NiMET to develop a comprehensive partnership framework to drive their engagement with states,” he said.

“The forum received the United Nations (UN) deputy secretary general Ms Amina J. Mohammed in the company of Ms Malala Yousafzai, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and UN Messenger of Peace, who chose a girl-child advocacy visit to Nigeria to mark her 26th birthday.

“Malala expressed her desire to see efforts at addressing gender discrimination, gender inclusion and girl-child education sustained and deepened.

“Members expressed their readiness to work with the UN and Malala Fund in advancing gender responsive and inclusive policies, including access to quality education for girls and other affirmative action processes in the country.”