From Okwe Obi, Abuja
The Federal Government has said N2, 504, 095 people have been affected by flooding this year, while 603 deaths have been recorded.
It noted that 1,302,589 persons, have been displaced with 2,407 persons with different degrees of injuries.
Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq, who disclosed the statistics at a press briefing yesterday in Abuja, said 82,053 houses have been totally damaged.
According to her, 332, 327 hectares of farmlands have been completely damaged.
Umar Farouq warned that Cross River, Anambra, Delta, Rivers and Bayelsa States would express severe flooding before the end of October.
Following the devastating effect of the disaster, she disclosed that government had sent delegation to Cameroon on the periodic opening of Lagdo dam.
She said an emergency technical stakeholders meeting of all responsive agencies to strategize immediate response to the situation was convened and the recommendations would be implemented.
The minister, who faulted the lackadaisical attitude of some state and local governments in response to flood warning, tasked them to invest in flood management and lead on community base flood early warning signs.
“Although flood has become an annual disaster with devastating consequence and the effect of Climate Change makes it difficult to prevent in Nigeria, it can be mitigated and managed;
“There was enough warning and information about the 2022 flood but States, Local Governments and Communities appear not to take heed;
thus the meeting agreed to form a high powered delegation to State Governors to advocate for more commitment to strengthen state response mechanisms as stipulated in the National Flood Emergency Preparedness and Response Plan;
“Stakeholder will work within their respective mandates to prevent deaths due to flood or other health related diseases that are aftermath.
“We must initiate a bilateral discussion with authorities in Cameroon next month (November 2022) on the periodic opening the Lagdo dam. The delegation to Cameroon is to be led by the PS and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will be requested to facilitate it;
“For a coordinated flood response protocol, the meeting agreed to implement the National Flood Emergency Preparedness and Response Plan;
“Accordingly, the sectoral approach to flood management at the National and Sub-National levels must be absolutely implemented;
“It was further emphasized that there was the need for State Governments to invest in flood management and lead on community base flood early warning systems; hence the meeting called on State Governments to take greater responsibilities for flood preparedness and response;
“It was agreed that it has become necessary to compel all State Governments to strengthen their SEMAs and LEMCs through a legal instrument so that they can have improved access to fund and personnel for effective disaster preparedness and response;
“Ladies and gentlemen, while we mourn the unfortunate boat mishap in Anambra State and other locations, please we must note that we are not completely out of the wood.
“Because the Metrological Agencies are warning that States like Anambra, Delta, Cross River, Rivers and Bayelsa are still at the risk of experiencing floods up till end of November.
“So, we are calling on the respective State Governments, LGAs and Communities to prepare by evacuating people living on flood plains to high grounds, providing tents and relief materials, fresh water as well as medical supply for possible outbreak of water borne disease,” she added.