Mustapha Mohammed, Director General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), expressed concern on Monday in Abuja.
Mohammed expressed regret that NEMA’s early warnings to states in 2022 were ignored. He stated that if the government does not take proactive measures at all levels, the devastating effects of flooding will be seen across states next year.
This was stated by the official when he appeared before Senator Yusuf Yusuf (APC, Taraba Central) led Senate Committee on Special Duties in Abuja yesterday to defend the 2023 budget.
Mohammed said: “Let me also use this opportunity to prevail on the committee to intervene on our behalf. We have written to states several times. This flood is still coming in 2023.
“They must be advised early to set up SEMA and local emergency committees and fund them adequately. We gave a similar warning last year, but our advice was ignored.”
Mohammed expressed further concern that despite early warnings issued to state and local governments whose areas were flood-prone, none of them had taken any positive steps to guard against it.
He, however, explained that the Federal Government had already opened up the nation’s silos and released 12,000 tonnes of grains, which were shared with all 36 states.
The NEMA Director-General advised state governments to do more and be proactive in disaster management instead of abandoning it to the federal government. He said the National Assembly should help to inform the states early enough to avoid another devastating effect.
NEMA Lacks Appropriate Personnel
Mohammed stated that his agency lacks disaster management personnel and would request assistance from state governments.
In her remarks, a committee member, Senator Uche Ekwunife, PDP, Anambra Central, expressed scepticism about the National Assembly ordering states and local governments to put in place flood-prevention measures.
She said: “The National Assembly is an independent institution that is not answerable to any state. The states are also not answerable to us.”
“We can only appeal to them, but our constituent has a greater role to play by telling the state governments to act fast on the NEMA warning.”
NEMA urged affected residents to hold their governors accountable for all flooding-related damages, claiming that the National Assembly’s mandate and jurisdiction had been exceeded.
Senators urged NEMA to request additional manpower through the Head of Service to the President, emphasising the importance of reviewing NEMA’s actual conditions of service so that the staff could enjoy an exceptional salary scale.
Senator Francis Fadahunsi, PDP, Osun, also spoke, urging states to use the vast financial resources at their disposal, particularly the ecological funds, to address the environmental challenges they face.
