Are you satisfied with government’s response to flooding?

Bello Sarafadeen, Lagos

The Government’s response to the flooding isn’t quite clear and has remained slow. This is because there doesn’t seem to be a proactive strategy being implemented as regards flood or disaster management in Nigeria. While flood and extreme weather disasters have become increasingly frequent across the country in recent years, very little infrastructure has been put in place to solve the problem. Recently, we have come to learn about the controversy surrounding an estimated one trillion naira allocated to various states from the Ecological Fund to tackle ecological problems and ensure proper emergency management. How these funds allocated over a 3 year period (2018, 2019 and 2023) were used remains unknown. 

People temporarily housed in camps have lamented the poor living conditions, as well as the small amount of food and relief materials provided by government officials. While President Buhari has given several ministries and state governments a 90 days ultimatum to draw up a flood disaster prevention plan, whatever strategy they come up with can serve as a blueprint to develop an effective disaster management strategy for the future; provided the next administration is willing to implement it. However, this plan cannot bring immediate succour to those currently affected by floods. The current flood problem across Nigeria is a result of poor urban planning and a lack of proper water management.

Isaac Abiodun, Kaduna

The response and management of the effect of the present flood across many states in Nigeria are distasteful and appalling at the same time. I am pained by the government’s response especially as this is coming close to election year. You would think that they would have responded on time under the guise of the campaign, but they failed to. This is an open admission that the leaders don’t care enough about the life and safety of those affected. 

The focus of our leaders is solely on the 2023 election, anything else is taking a back seat. Most of what we know about the flood was first reported on social media and not really on mainstream media. The adverse effect has begun as a bag of rice is now reported to be selling for N45,000 in some locations due to damaged warehouses, damaged goods on trailers that were submerged and the many other damages that are yet to be costed. This is just the immediate effect. Many goods worth billions were submerged and harvests worth billions have been washed away. The lives and properties of many Nigerians have been lost. Sadly, we don’t learn from previous flood disasters. The release of water from Lagdo dam in Cameroun is not new, what measures have we put in place all these years? What is the plan for those who have been affected? What is the plan for next year? What did state governors do with the ecological fund that was released to them a few years ago? Will heads roll? Unfortunately, no. This is Nigeria. I stay in Kaduna. I want to commend the effort of the Kaduna State Government. When the rain started earlier this year, the state agency embarked on the dredging of the Kaduna River. The measure was taken in preparation for this year’s flood. This is the first time in many years that flood-prone areas like Kigo Road on the bank of the Kaduna River were not flooded, a big applause to the Kaduna State Government on this. Are we going to learn from this? Is there not going to be another flood in the future? 

Damilola Osinowo, Lagos

With the issue of flooding, we can hardly blame the government for the cause because no matter how well you prepare, some things are definitely beyond your control, but the way you respond to them is within your power. The government response has been lukewarm and not so adequate for me. For a serious government, building of dams, embankments should be their top priority. The government must wake up to its responsibilities.

Raji Taofeek, Lagos

Flooding happening in Nigeria at the moment is not an unexpected event but an unprepared one because we the citizens and the government didn’t plan well for this though. Most blame is to be apportioned to the government because the government of Cameroon has informed our government for long that they will open their dam which will invariably lead to flooding the states closer to Cameroon causing farmlands to be flooded, displacing many people from their homes and killing many people too. This is getting too serious because rain is still falling in most places that have been flooded already which is making even our dams get fuller easily and spreading to other parts of the country. On the part of the citizens, we are also responsible for the flood because we are fond of pouring dirt into the gutters, canals among others which we all blame government for every time there is flood forgetting that they caused it and not the government.

Abiye, Lagos

Disaster management in Nigeria is synonymous to clapping with one hand; it is not possible to clap with one hand, but that is the situation of things in Nigeria. It is a situation where we always focus on a reactive approach, and the approach is limited to the distribution of so-called relief materials. The government needs to start thinking more about structural issues to mitigate flooding. The government must heavily invest in critical infrastructure – roads, drainage, dikes and flood barriers. Several weeks into the floods, some communities have not yet received relief because they are still inaccessible. Bayelsa is largely inaccessible because of the floodwater. In fact, the situation in Bayelsa is so [bad] that I don’t think the state has witnessed that level of devastation in the past. The flood is not even really the problem; the problem is with the leaders. It was not like they were unaware the flood was coming, but they did not do anything.

Chukwuemeka, Abuja

The government’s response to flooding is not the best response because what has relief materials got to do with saving flood? Perhaps to help the victims but more things are needed to be put in place other than feeding. Our government’s response to disaster management is nothing to write home about because they don’t even understand what it is all about. I believe the federal government needs to direct NEMA to act proactively by utilizing geographical information systems and metrological data to improve their early warning system and reduce people’s exposure to flood risk.

Sesan, Lagos

I don’t agree with President Buhari on the issue of flooding as it affects Nigeria which he attributes to climate change. Nigerians are now made to understand that before Cameroun built their dam on the River Benue, they signed an agreement that Nigeria would build a dam twice as big as theirs on the River Benue to trap waters from the dam in Cameroun when it is opened, and could serve as irrigation and power generation purposes. Nigeria has not fulfilled that agreement till date. I believe that is why we are where we are now. Solution has to be provided and the earlier the better because if care is not taken all states will be affected.

Salewa Kuku, Abeokuta

Despite FG’s assertion, there is urgent need for government to avert flood disaster in future by constructing dams at strategic locations to check flooding. There is also need for the government to immediately declare a state of emergency on flooding to free up resources for managing the disaster. With the number of lives and properties lost this year, it’s time for government at all levels to heed to floor warnings and make necessary plans to avert reoccurrence.

Sunday, Lagos 

No because the government is not able to manage the issue of flood and as a country we didn’t prepare ourselves for disasters such as this. I feel what our government should do is that states should be prevailed upon to stop allocating land in designated flood plains, to maintain dredging and waste management efforts, and rethink incentives to invest more in flood mitigation efforts: Land allocation is clearly a state government’s responsibility, and the periodic nature of the floods should not be an excuse for the greed by these administrators, who choose revenue over the safety of their citizens. Citizens, who despite being informed and warned early, also choose to remain in the flood affected areas till the very last minute and by then it is too late. The reasons often cited for this include the security of their property and lack of clarity regarding where to go. Conditions in the designated relief camps and coordination plans are not firmed up, leaving citizens to ignore camps and opt instead for living with families and friends in areas not affected by the flooding, further exacerbating the vulnerability limits of the entire population in the affected states. The Federal Government can do more to protect lives and property by declaring a State of Emergency, including using military reserves or paramilitary formations to support and enforce evacuations. The Federal Government should also explore its constitutional powers to address the ever-recurrent challenges of construction in flood plains and flood-prone areas to prevent land allocation by state governments. The Attorney General should consider available legal options and advise accordingly. Also, the Federal Government bears a large portion of the responsibility to mitigate and respond to the national disaster, and should really just do so.