The Mandela Washington Fellowship Association of Nigeria (MWFAAN) said the flood that ravaged some part of the country has affected the livelihoods of over 2.5 million people.
The association called on Nigerians, international development agencies and civil society organisations to support the victims of the flooding to mitigate effect of the natural disaster.
President of the association, Olorunfunmi Adebajo-Olafimihan, said no fewer than 25 states affected.
This flood, Adebajo-Olafimihan said, has led to the loss of at least 600 lives.
Adebajo-Olafimihan said: “The disaster has spiked hardship across the country and affected…outstanding young men and women with established records of promoting positive impact in their communities. This includes members of the Mandela Washington Fellowship, members of other organisations under the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) body and vulnerable citizens living in these communities.
“We note with regret, the magnitude of this flood in coastal areas, the thousands of victims who have been displaced and the number of lives lost. This necessitated the broad based rapid needs assessment being conducted by MWFAAN which will help the government and development organisations identify the critical impact, priority needs and most effective ways of supporting affected people across the states.
“MWFAAN appreciates the efforts of fellows working with internally displaced persons across different states. We are also grateful to the United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Mary Beth Leonard and the U.S. Consulate for the prompt response to this devastating situation through the donation of $1 Million towards ameliorating the effects of the flood on the citizens of Nigeria. MWFAAN will be offering the expertise of fellows across various sectors as volunteers to support the effort of the U.S Mission in Nigeria as the need arises.”
The association urged the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency in the affected areas so as to reduce the effects of the disaster as markets, hospitals and schools are already shut down, halting all socioeconomic activities.
“All agencies responsible for emergencies should be alert to responsibilities by offering all necessary assistance to the flood victims. In the same vein, we are further calling on the Nigerian media to ensure adequate reportage of the situation in and draw more attention to the plight of citizens who are stranded in IDP camps across the other states as a result of the flood.
We also recommends that state governments should evacuate persons living along flood prone areas and water channels. Most importantly, immediate action is needed for more awareness on climate change and proactive measures must be put in place to prevent future recurrence of this disaster,” MWFAAN said.