In a significant development, the Presidential Committee established by President Muhammadu Buhari has issued a crucial recommendation advocating for the formation of the National Flood Management Council (NFMC).
This council, comprised of 18 members, will be chaired by the Vice President.
Following its inauguration on November 3, 2022, the committee was assigned the vital task of formulating a comprehensive action plan to avert flood disasters within Nigeria.
Presenting their findings to the President on Monday, the committee emphasized that the NFMC would play a pivotal role in coordinating flood management efforts nationwide.
Additionally, it would serve as an advisory body to the President on flood-related matters and possess the authority to declare a state of emergency in the event of a major flood.
Furthermore, the committee proposed the establishment of a dedicated flood management fund, the implementation of an advanced early warning system, and the training of military and paramilitary personnel in flood response techniques.
According to the committee’s estimations, the implementation of these recommendations would require an approximate expenditure of N3.460 trillion.
Responding to the committee’s report, President Buhari has instructed the Federal Ministry of Water Resources to collaborate with relevant stakeholders in executing the recommended measures.
This development comes as Nigeria confronts an escalating menace from floods, with the catastrophic flood disaster of 2012 claiming numerous lives and displacing millions.
The committee’s recommendations are being widely hailed as a positive stride toward mitigating the risk of future flood disasters in Nigeria.
