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  • Tinubu’s advocates laud NEMA for proactiveness, transparency in discharging duties

    Tinubu’s advocates laud NEMA for proactiveness, transparency in discharging duties

    The Renewed Hope Ambassador of Nigeria (RHAN) has applauded the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) for its proactiveness and transparency in discharging its duties

    The President Bola Tinubu advocacy group also hailed NEMA for its strategic interventions in the country’s emergency and disaster management.

    The group, which made this known in its periodic review of NEMA’s operations, made the outcome of its findings known at a press conference on Wednesday. 

    The national coordinator of the group, Hon. Yakubu Dauda, said the agency has done creditably well over the years and fulfilled its mandate. 

    Appraising the agency, Daudu said it has played a pivotal role in intervening in the country’s emergency and disaster incidents. 

    He noted that NEMA has witnessed the emergence of exemplary leaders who piloted the agency’s affairs with utmost dexterity and dedication. 

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    “The various Director Generals that stirred the ship of NEMA from the era of Sani Sidi to the current dispensation of Ahmed Mustapha Habib have provided sterling leadership qualities in managing the agency’s affairs,” he added. 

    “They have motivated staff members of the agency to discharge their duties effectively. The leadership of NEMA over the years has encouraged staff member training through participation in various training programs both locally and internationally. This has paid off. 

    “The introduction of transparency and accountability in managing the affairs of the agency has ensured the effective utilization of the resources of the agency in fulfilling its strategic mandate. 

    “Staff welfare was not also neglected. Various incentives were provided for staff members, enabling them to discharge their duties effectively. The present Director General must be commended for his excellent role since the assumption of office in sustaining the activities of NEMA and promoting the agency to the level it has attained today,” he said. 

    The report, however, notes that the agency can achieve more through the massive support of critical stakeholders, the government, and members of the public.

  • Response to emergencies

    Response to emergencies

    • NEMA needs to be reshaped to achieve its noble objectives

    If the report from the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation (OAuGF) is anything to go by, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) is another public agency the Federal Government has to beam its searchlight on, considering the damning report about the agency’s activities.

    First is the issue of an aircraft that the agency paid a deposit of N1 billion to an Israeli company for about 10 years ago that is yet to be delivered. According to the auditor-general’s report, the deposit was also not refunded by the contractor. NEMA’s response is that it secured a judgment in a debt-recovery case on the matter. The agency’s information officer, Manzo Ezekiel, said the process of recovering the aircraft payment was ongoing. ‘’As the DG NEMA has responded, there is a valid court judgment on recovery of the money paid.

    “It involves non-Nigerians and may require the support of both Nigerian and the other governments to recover the fund. The process to recover the fund is still ongoing’’, he added.

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    There are also other issues that border on suspected corruption, lackadaisical attitude and probably incompetence, which are not good for the agency’s image and which the government must address if it is to perform its crucial assignment creditably.

    We have the issue of non-personal allowances which, according to the AuGF’s report, NEMA failed to account for. These included about N99. 42 million of the N560,235,145.50 granted to officers as non-personal advances in 2018, and another N47,974,375.87 from N715,316,976.10 granted to officers as non-personal advances in 2019.

    There were also about 26,106 50 kg bags of rice said to have been donated to NEMA by the Chinese government as intervention support for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the northeast, valued at N673.076 million that the report said was left to expire in the agency’s warehouse.

    There are other irregularities that the report revealed which are equally damning.

    For instance, the report says NEMA awarded a contract for the supply of 160,000 50Kg bags of rice for N2.4 billion in 2018; and some 25kg bags of rice valued at N73,709,041.20 were left in the warehouse to expire as of April 2020. “These bags of rice were destroyed by pests and rodents as a result of the failure of the agency to distribute them to the intended beneficiaries (the IDPs),” the report says.

    It says other items, such as toiletries, mosquito nets and bags of cement, among others, procured for more than three years before the audit in 2020, were also allowed to rot away.

    These are deplorable conducts.

    It is saddening that foreign aids were also affected in the irregularities that characterise NEMA’s activities. Donors, whether foreign or local, usually respond to requests for support in emergency situations in order to lessen the effect of unusual or unforeseen occurrences on victims. The beauty would therefore be for such donors to know that the assistance they render gets to intended beneficiaries on time. But when such relief items are diverted or left to rot away, it discourages such donors. They thus become weary of rendering such assistance in the future.

    Not only that, such attitude sends a wrong signal to other potential donors. The country and beneficiaries are the losers when this happens.

    As its name implies, NEMA is to manage disasters in Nigeria. An agency saddled with such onerous responsibility ought to be an epitome of efficiency, kindness, transparency and accountability, some of which seem to be lacking in the agency, going by revelations in the AuGF’s report.

    When an agency like NEMA is found wanting as in the AuGF’s findings, then the possibility of victims of disasters getting the appropriate relief on time and without wasting public resources is jeopardised.

    As the AuGF’s report observed, these anomalies point to significant weaknesses in NEMA’s internal control system.

    This has to be strengthened.

    We agree with the suggestion in the report that monies involved be recovered and turned in to the government and appropriate sanctions imposed on culprits in line with extant laws and financial regulations.

  • 10 years after N1b deposit, NEMA yet to receive aircraft

    10 years after N1b deposit, NEMA yet to receive aircraft

    The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) is yet to take delivery of an aircraft 10 years after paying a deposit of N1,054,222,576.00 to an Israeli company, the Auditor General for the Federation (OAuGF) has said.

    The payment was made in 2010, but no aircraft was supplied as of March 2020, according to an audit report submitted to the National Assembly on November 30, 2023.

    The report says the deposit was also not refunded by the contractor.

    NEMA said it secured a judgment in a debt-recovery case on the matter.

    The audit report accused NEMA of mismanagement and allowing relief materials to rot away.

    It says NEMA management failed to deduct and remit about N19.2 million as Value Added Tax (VAT) and Withholding Taxes (WHT) from payments made on supplies of relief materials and other services rendered to the agency.

    This, it says, is even though the VAT and WHT ought to have been deducted from the contractors’ invoices.

    Read Also; Food inflation a global phenomenon – Bwala

    It also says NEMA failed to account for about N99. 42 million of the N560,235,145.50 granted to officers as non-personal advances in 2018.

    Another N47,974,375.87 from N715,316,976.10 granted to officers as non-personal advances in 2019 were also not retired.

    The audit report says NEMA failed to distribute 26,106 50 Kg bags of rice of the 135,000 donated by the Chinese government as intervention support for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the Northeast.

    It says the 26,106 bags of rice valued at N673.076 million were left to expire in the agency’s warehouse.

    The report says NEMA awarded a contract for the supply of 160,000 59Kg bags of rice at the cost of N2.4 billion in 2018, yet some bags of 25kg rice valued at N73,709,041.20 were left in the warehouse to expire as of April 2020.

    “These bags of rice were destroyed by pests and rodents as a result of the failure of the agency to distribute them to the intended beneficiaries (the IDPs),” the report says.

    The OAuGF also reports that NEMA also failed to distribute relief materials valued at N113.676 million which were left to either expire or were damaged.

    It says other items, such as toiletries, mosquito nets, and bags of cement, among others, procured for more than three years before the audit in 2020, were allowed to rot away.

    The OAuGF also reports that N96,467,673.76 was paid to a consultant between 2014 and 2017 to acquire some assets for the construction of the NEMA zonal offices in Enugu, Lagos and Kaduna.

    Items covered by the contract include three project vehicles valued at N30 million, two demountable partitions for the Enugu and Lagos project sites, one Diperk 250 KVA Generator for the Enugu Project site, one Diperk 200 KVA Generator for the Lagos Project site and one Diperk 250 KVA Generator for Kaduna Project site.

    “There was no evidence that the items were procured nor were there records to show that they were handed over to the agency since the termination of the contract in October 2019.

    “On enquiry, the zonal coordinators in the three states claimed not to be aware of the above-listed assets as they never saw them on site,” the report says.

    The report attributed anomalies to weaknesses in NEMA’s internal control system.

    It recommends that the money involved be recovered and refunded to the government treasury.

    The OAuGF says appropriate sanctions should be imposed on the agency in line with extant laws and financial regulations.

    NEMA Information Officer, Manzo Ezekiel, said the process of recovering the aircraft payment was ongoing.

    He said: “As the DG NEMA has responded. There is a valid court judgment on recovery of the money paid.

    “It involves non-Nigerians and may require the support of both Nigerian and the other governments to recover the fund.

    “The process to recover the fund is still ongoing.

    “The second issue of relief items being left to rot. I am sure it is about the rice donated by the Chinese Government. It was under a former DG of the agency.

    “There were some circumstances that led to delay in clearing the items from the port.

    “After the clearance, some of the rice was discovered to have become bad.

    “However, those that still good were distributed to the target beneficiaries.”

  • NEMA back states to develop risk management plan

    NEMA back states to develop risk management plan

    The Director-General of National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mustapha Ahmed, has said the agency would support states to develop contingency plans to enable communities understand the risks they face and linkages.

    This, he said, was to prevent, prepare and respond to these risks.

    Ahmed said this at the unveiling of the national contingency plan for 2023- 2025 on Monday in Abuja.

    The DG noted that the plan would not only safeguard lives and livelihoods but also reinforce the country’s resilience against natural disasters.

    Ahmed reiterated that preparedness was key to saving lives and minimising the impact of emergencies.

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    He said: “It is important to emphasise that NEMA in collaboration with UNICEF and other stakeholders carried out a risk analysis of Nigeria in 2021. The exercise was carried out across the geo-political zones of the country and covered different risks and hazards at the Local Government Areas level, including floods; epidemics; conflict and violence amongst others. The objective of the analysis was to identify, assess and rank risks with a view to understanding related vulnerabilities and capacities, while fostering effective risk management approaches among agencies addressing the same or similar threats. The outcome of the risk analysis guided the review of the National Contingency Plan.

    “The National Contingency Plan will not only safeguard lives and livelihoods but also reinforce our resilience as a nation. It empowers us to respond effectively to emergencies, mitigate their impact and prepare for response should they occur.

    “NEMA will focus on disaster preparedness actions including continuous revision of risks across the country, supporting states in development of contingency plans and also focus on Early Warning System to enable communities understands the risks they face and linkages to ensure they are able to prevent, prepare and respond to these risks. To do this, NEMA is specially requesting the support of UNICEF in this regard.”

  • NEMA, lawmaker distribute relief materials to flood victims in Ebonyi

    NEMA, lawmaker distribute relief materials to flood victims in Ebonyi

    The member representing Ikwo/Ezza South Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Chinedu Ogah has distributed relief materials worth millions of Naira and cash gifts to victims of flood across Ezza South and Ikwo local Government of Ebonyi.

    The lawmaker carried out the distribution at the weekend in conjunction with the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).

    The victims from 31 wards in the Federal Constituency received the materials and cash at the weekend in Ikwo, Ikwo local government area of the state.

    The relief materials include bags of rice, beans, garri, bundles of zinc, mattresses, clothes, mats, buckets, cups and other items, were attracted by Ogah.

    Ogah, who attracted the relief materials and cash, commended President Bola Tinubu and Governor Francis Nwifuru for ensuring that the materials were released to NEMA for distribution to the flood victims.

    He said: “I must commend the DG of NEMA, the Zonal Coordinator of NEMA and all the representatives of NEMA for their support.

    “They brought materials and we brought cash to make sure that the victims get transportation to go back to their places after receiving these items because most of them are from far places.

    “The beneficiaries are from almost 497 polling units of my constituency. Even those that are not from my constituency also benefited”, he stated.

    Representative of Director General of NEMA and Zonal Coordinator of Enugu Zonal Office, Nnanyelugo Ezeani, described Ogah as a leader with interest of his people at heart who has established good relationships in a cause of helping his people.

    He called on people to avoid building on flood places to avoid the disaster.

    On his part, Chairman of Ikwo local government, Sunday Nwankwo described the distribution of the relief materials as a fantastic gesture.

    Read Also: NEMA drafts policy to curbboat accidents, disasters

    He commended Ogah for attracting the materials from the federal government to the constituency.

    Nwankwo identified climate change as one of the issues in flood disasters.

    He said: “Climate change is the product of impact of our activities on the environment and the shell of that put together is what is causing all other things and the flood.

    “So, it means that we also have to look at ourselves and ask ourselves are there ways we are contributing to it unknowingly? If there are, we reduce it.

    “If it becomes vagaries of weather, then we take it that it has come to stay but we must find a way to mitigate it, there must be a way and one of the ways is to reduce the human aspect of.”

  • NEMA drafts policy to curbboat accidents, disasters

    NEMA drafts policy to curbboat accidents, disasters

    The National Emergency Management Agency has expressed its readiness to draft a seven-year national disaster risk reduction strategy.

    The federal agency said this is meant to reduce cases of flooding, boat accidents, kidnapping, banditry, and other disasters in the country.

    The agency, in collaboration with United Nation Development Programmme (UNDP) and other stakeholders, are expected to come up with a national strategy for reducing disasters in the land.

    NEMA’s Director General Mustapha Ahmed announced this at a stakeholders’ meeting for the development of Disaster Risk Reduction Strategy (2023-2030) yesterday in Abuja.

    The agency boss explained that the increasing cases of disasters prompted the development of the strategy.

    He also said the agency planned to move from distribution of relief materials to reducing disasters to minimum.

    Harping on the need for the strategy, Ahmed said: “The recent escalation and growing frequency and severity of disasters in the form of banditry, boat mishaps, building collapse, urban and market fires coupled with hydro-meteorological hazards powered by climate change and climate variability have ignited the compelling desire to develop the Nigeria Disaster Risk Management Plan.

    “This is in consideration of the high level of vulnerability and fragility of the countries covered by the Sahel Resilience Project within Africa South of the Sahara. It is on record that the high level of vulnerability of these countries is driven by fragile economies, environmental degradation, extreme weather conditions, low levels of income, and insecurity posed by terrorism and political volatility.

    “There is no doubt that working together with multiple development actors under the Sahel Resilience Project will help the countries of the region to collectively improve their resilience in consideration of the trans-boundary nature of disaster events.

    “For us in Nigeria, the Sahel Resilience Project is expected to support the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Federal Government, especially in the areas of poverty eradication, food security and inclusivity.”

    He added: “There is an ongoing evaluation of the 2023 flood season by NEMA and efforts to address recurring boat mishaps, building collapse, urban and market fires, which have become dominant in Nigeria’s disaster risk profile and have resulted in the loss of several lives.”

    “When we have a plan, we will have a direction. So, the plan is about mitigation to reduce disasters to the barest minimum in Nigeria and our target is to move away from the distribution of relief items to reduce disasters to the minimum.

    “To achieve our goal, we must have a national plan. That is why NEMA, UNDP, and other stakeholders are here to draft that strategy.”

    Also, the UNDP Sahel Resilience Project Manager in Nigeria, Dr. Reshmi Theckethil, said disasters have led to extreme poverty in the country.

    Read Also: Women, children, elderly prone to disasters – NEMA

    According to her, almost half of Nigeria’s population is poor due to different forms of disaster.

    She said: “Today, almost half of Nigeria’s population, or 91 million people, face multidimensional poverty. Communities are being impacted by environmental and health hazards, like droughts, floods, epidemics, and man-made disasters, such as oil spills and terrorism.

    “Challenges from rapid population growth, urbanisation, and socio-political issues often contribute to conflicts, violence, and increased insecurity.

    “Throughout the years, Nigeria has experienced 440 disasters with several catastrophic floods leading to tragic loss of lives and economic loss. These disasters not only damage property but disrupt crucial infrastructure and increase the risk of diseases, like cholera, diarrhoea, and malaria.

    “The financial aftermath of floods in 2012 and 2022 is staggering, amounting to billions of dollars, affecting some 12 million people.”

    On the need to have a national strategy, Theckethil said: “It is clear that sound disaster risk management at all levels – from national to local – is key to building the resilience of communities and economies to these shocks.

    “The vision is to create a resilient, disaster-ready Nigeria. We need organisational culture change, political commitment, motivation, and financial backing. A strategic guidance framework, sectoral and intersectoral coordination, and participation from all actors are also essential.”

    She added: “A successful disaster risk reduction strategy with clear goals will allow the government and all stakeholders to articulate their intentions and actions in a coherent and coordinated manner to protect the population against current and future disaster risks.”

  • Women, children, elderly prone to disasters – NEMA

    Women, children, elderly prone to disasters – NEMA

    The Director General of the National Emergency Management Agencies (NEMA), Mustapha Ahmed has said women, children, and elderly are more prone to disaster risks.

    He also said conscious efforts to reduce poverty and inequality could help reduce exposure of women, children, the elderly, and persons living with disabilities to natural and manmade disasters.

    He also noted countries across the globe need to entrench risk reduction in their investment and development decisions to strengthen the resilience of the most vulnerable groups and persons.

    He disclosed this in Abuja on Friday during the commemoration of the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction with the theme; “Fighting Inequality for the Resilient Future”.

    Ahmed said: “Inequality and disaster vulnerability exist side by side. Unequal access to services, income inequality, unequal opportunities and discrimination, and non-adoption of fiscal policy that promotes equality have exposed the majority of the global population, especially women, children, the elderly, and people living with disabilities to disaster risk.

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    “Developing countries like ours and small Island states have been recognised as facing inequality and therefore bear the adverse effect of the disaster, especially the one induced by climate change and climate variability.

    “With concerted efforts and awareness creation, we can curb the destructive powers of both nature and human-induced disasters through careful planning to reduce people’s exposure and vulnerability to harm. The Sendai Framework for disaster risk reduction calls for more dedicated action on tackling underlying disaster risk drivers such as poverty and inequality.

    “Disaster risk reduction requires empowerment and inclusive, accessible and non-discriminatory participation, paying attention to people disproportionately affected by disasters, especially the poor.”

    Also speaking, a representative from the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Director, Nutrition and Food Security, Sugra Mahmoud said challenges of extreme weather events have a negative impact on the food security of the nation.

    She also said extreme weather conditions have made access to nutritious food difficult. She, however, noted collaboration with relevant stakeholders will aid in bridging the existing gap as a result of disasters.

    Mahmoud said: “The inequality within our society is magnified when disasters strike because marginalized populations bear the brunt of their consequences. So, it is imperative to pursue equitable solutions that empower the shocks and stresses of related disasters.

    “Extreme weather events such as drought, flood, and heatwaves have emerged as formidable adversaries threatening our agricultural system and worsening the inequality in accessing nutritious foods.”

    “The conflict situation we find ourselves in is also exacerbating everything we are going through. The most vulnerable amongst us including smallholder farmers, women, children, marginalized communities often face disproportionately challenges to adapting to and recovering from these disasters because there is nothing to stop them from what they have been going through.

    “It is incumbent upon us to bridge the gaps and build resilience that leaves no one behind. To combat the adverse effect of extreme weather events on our food system, we must prioritize inclusive and sustainable agricultural practices and we must ensure that the support that comes has to go to the last mile.”

    On the need for partnership, she said: “Collaboration is the key word, we cannot do it alone, so collaboration and synergy will be key so that whatever resources we have can take us faster and farther.”

  • Women, children, elderly prone to disasters, says NEMA

    Women, children, elderly prone to disasters, says NEMA

    The director general of the National Emergency Management Agencies (NEMA), Mustapha Ahmed, has said women, children, and elderly are more prone to disaster risks.

    He also said conscious efforts to reduce poverty and inequality could help reduce exposure of women, children, the elderly, and persons living with disabilities to natural and manmade disasters.

    Ahmed noted that countries across the globe need to entrench risk reduction in their investment and development decisions to strengthen the resilience of the most vulnerable groups and persons.

    He disclosed this in Abuja on Friday, October 13, during the commemoration of the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction with the theme; “Fighting Inequality for the Resilient Future”.

    Ahmed said: “Inequality and disaster vulnerability exist side by side. Unequal access to services, income inequality, unequal opportunities and discrimination, and non-adaption of fiscal policy that promotes equality have exposed the majority of the global population, especially women, children, the elderly, and people living with disabilities to disaster risk.

    Read Also: NEMA distributes relief materials in Enugu

    “Developing countries like ours and small Island states have been recognised as facing inequality and therefore bear the adverse effect of the disaster, especially the one induced by climate change and climate variability.

    “With concerted efforts and awareness creation, we can curb the destructive powers of both nature and human-induced disasters through careful planning to reduce people’s exposure and vulnerability to harm. The Sendai Framework for disaster risk reduction calls for more dedicated action on tackling underlying disaster risk drivers such as poverty and inequality.

    “Disaster risk reduction requires empowerment and inclusive, accessible and non-discriminatory participation, paying attention to people disproportionately affected by disasters especially the poor.”

    Also speaking, a representative from the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Director, Nutrition and Food Security, Sugra Mahmoud said challenges of extreme weather events have a negative impact on the food security of the nation.

    She also said extreme weather conditions have made access to nutritious food difficult.

    She however noted collaboration with relevant stakeholders will aid in bridging the existing gap as a result of disasters.

    Mahmoud said: “The inequality within our society is magnified when disasters strike because marginalized populations bear the brunt of their consequences. So, it is imperative to pursue equitable solutions that empower the shocks and stresses of related disasters.

    “Extreme weather events such as drought, flood, and heat waves have emerged as formidable adversaries threatening our agricultural system and worsening the inequality in accessing nutritious foods.

    “The conflict situation we find ourselves in is also exacerbating everything we are going through. The most vulnerable amongst us including smallholder farmers, women, children, and marginalized communities often face disproportionately challenges to adapting to and recovering from these disasters because there is nothing to pad them from what they have been going through.

    “It is incumbent upon us to bridge the gaps and build resilience that leaves no one behind. To combat the adverse effect of extreme weather events on our food system, we must prioritize inclusive and sustainable agricultural practices and we must ensure that the support that comes has to go to the last mile.”

    On the need for partnership, she said: “Collaboration is the key word, we cannot do it alone, so collaboration and synergy will be key so that whatever resources we have can take us faster and farther.”

  • NEMA distributes relief materials in Enugu

    NEMA distributes relief materials in Enugu

    The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) yesterday began the distribution of relief materials to 10,040 households affected by the 2022 flood disaster in Enugu State.

    The Director General (DG) of the agency, Mr. Mustapha Ahmed, said during the distribution in Enugu that the gesture was under the Special National Economic and Livelihood Emergency Intervention (SNELEI).

    Ahmed, represented by the Enugu State team supervisor of SNELEI, Mr. Ladan Ayuba, said the distribution was to improve the socio-economic conditions of the affected households.

    He identified the items as livelihood equipment which included sewing machines and grinding machines, while the food items include rice, beans, garri, sorghum, vegetable oil, salt, tomato paste sachets and seasoning cubes.

    Ahmed said the non-food items are mosquito nets, nylon mats, blankets, form mattresses, set of cooking pots, cooking stoves, toilet soaps and detergents.

    The agricultural inputs also distributed include water pumps 3HP, growth enhancers, liquid fertilisers, pesticide, herbicide, yam seeds, rice seeds and maize seeds.

    He said the agricultural inputs were given to take farmers back to their farm lands, to stimulate crop production and safeguard national food security in the middle of economic downturn.

    The DG added that the livelihood support was to help artisans improve their businesses and grow the economy.

    Read Also: No casualty in Lagos collapsed 3-storey building — NEMA

    He urged the beneficiaries to make proper use of the items to improve their socio-economic conditions.

    “Beneficiaries are advised to avoid selling the items and destroying the good intention of the Federal Government,” he said.

    Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, lauded NEMA for its support to the state.

    “We want to extend our gratitude to the DG, NEMA, for always partnering the state in times of emergency.

    “It is important that we acknowledge that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has made commitment to continue to support the states that are going through flood-related matter through NEMA,” he said.

    Some beneficiaries expressed joy about the items they received.

    Mr. Julius Eke of Enugu East Local Government, who got food items, thanked the government for bringing smiles to him and his family.

    Mrs. Akuabata Mbah, another beneficiary, said she was happy over the distribution, and thanked the Federal Government for its intervention. 

  • NEMA meets UN agencies, Armed Forces, others over looming floods

    NEMA meets UN agencies, Armed Forces, others over looming floods

    The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) yesterday met with the Nigerian Armed Forces, United Nations agencies and Federal Road Safety Corps(FRSC) over looming floods in parts of the country.

    The agency advised governments of 11 states, including Rivers, Anambra, Adamawa and Benue, to ensure that the residents of flood plains were quickly relocated to safe grounds.

    Other states that the agency said would be hit by floods in the coming days are Taraba, Nasarawa, Kogi, Enugu, Edo, Delta and Bayelsa.

    UN agencies represented at the Abuja meeting were the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Department of Safety and Security (UNDSS),  the  United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) and  World Food Programme (WFP).

    The Armed forces had representatives from the  Army,   Air Force and    Navy.   The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and Nigerian Red Cross also had representatives at the parley that held less than 24 hours after the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet)  alerted that heavy rains would hit the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and 29 states for three days.

    The  Director-General of the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA), Clement Nze, who early this week disclosed  that the release of water from the dam would only affect Numan in Adamawa State, was also present.

    NEMA Director-General Mustapha Ahmed said it was necessary for relevant stakeholders to prepare ahead because, water from the Lagdo Dam, if released by Cameroonian authorities, would compound the flood situation in Nigeria.

    Read Also: Palliatives: Why we delayed distribution – Makinde

    He said11 states and others downstream of the Niger and Benue rivers must make serious efforts to address and mitigate the impacts of the impending floods.

    Ahmed said: “This particular meeting has been necessitated by the notification received from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the modulated release of water from Lagdo Dam in Cameroon on the Benue River.

    “The country(Cameroon) has commenced release of water from the dam at the rate of 200 cubic meters per second which is about 18 million cubic meters of water per day.

    “This release may result in all front-line states experiencing flooding in subsequent days and weeks. It is of great importance to also note that the dam might commence full discharge of excess water in the event that the region experiences a heavy amount of rainfall.

    “As we all know, coordination is a vital component of disaster management which needs adequate attention to ensure timely and efficient response.

    “Part of the efforts that should be taken by all stakeholders, especially state governments,  to prepare for and mitigate possible flood disaster this year, include; immediate evacuation of Nigerians from various communities to safer destinations,   clearing of drainages and readiness to embark on rescue missions.

    “To ensure effective coordination and implementation of various policies therefore, the agency has dimmed it fit to invite critical stakeholders to deliberate on how to respond and mitigate the flood we are currently being faced with in Nigeria.

    “We have already started experiencing floods in some parts of the country this year with the rainfall. The release from the Lagdo Dam will only worsen the flood situation and we therefore call for concerted effort so as to address and mitigate the impact.”

    He also said the forum was an avenue for critical stakeholders to strategise and ensure that the release does not cause much negative impact on the low-lying communities in the state that would be affected.

    The NEMA boss restated immediate evacuation of Nigerians by states from their various communities to safer destinations should be carried out to avert disaster this year.

    He, however,  called on Nigerians to remain calm as the agency would continue to work with other government partners to provide food and non-food items to those that might be affected.

    Nze said there was no cause for alarm over the Lagdo dam as his agency was monitoring the situation from it. 

    He also advised Nigerians,  agencies and stakeholders charged with disaster response and reduction  to  put in place measures to mitigate and avert eventual flood disaster

    Nimet had on  Tuesday warned  that 29 states and the Federal Capital Territory(FCT) would be affected by thunderstorms  and strong winds that would  accompany  heavy rains

    It adde that    the rains would cause flashfloods, poor visibility and damage to weak structures.