President Muhammadu Buhari says the situation of communities prone to flood is under continuous monitoring, assuring that the Federal Government will keep sending teams to assess the situation with a view to rendering all necessary help.
In a statement, the President extends heartfelt condolences on behalf of the nation to communities in towns and villages, many of whom have lost relatives, suffered extensive damage to property, and endured the destruction of crops and farm lands.
The President notes that the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, had written to each of the 36 states of the federation through the states’ respective Governors advising on the appropriate action to take in view of the gloomy forecasts of the rains this year.
He calls on Governors of the affected states to continue with their efforts, and those that have not, to immediately face their duties of managing the flooding within their jurisdictions.
President Buhari s said each of the three tiers of government has a sizeable budget at its disposal, allocated monthly precisely for dealing with state – level natural emergencies, as well as federal agencies dedicated to doing the same.
He wonders how some of the state governments in question are not already drawing upon those funds to tackle the current emergency, a situation that is making citizens to misguidedly call on the federal government to intervene in all situations.
The President says if those moneys are no longer available, the affected states and local councils must immediately contact the relevant authorities to explain what has happened with those funds.
The statement, signed by the Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, says under the prevailing revenue allocation formula, 2.32 percent of derivation funds is set aside for ecology and disaster management.
Of this amount, the statement argues that the 36 states and the FCT get 0.72 percent, the 774 local governments get 0.6 percent, adding to 1.32 percent, leaving a balance of one percent to the government of the federation.
By the law of land, according to it, NEMA takes 20 percent of the amount allocated to the Federal Government, the Northeast Development Commission, NEDC, collects 10 percent, the National Agricultural Land Development Authority, NALDA, 10 percent, and the National Agency for the Great Green Wall, GGW, 0.5 percent, leaving 0.55 of the one percent to the government at the center for ecological protection and disaster management.
The President commends the few states that are up in front, making a great effort by averting disasters and managing same where they occur.
While he gives the nation assurances that the federal government will continue to work closely with the state governments to provide all possible assistance to overcome the challenge, the President also expects it must be seen as a shared responsibility.
Flooding, droughts out of season, wild weather patterns are now global experiences due to climate change, as no one now denies its detrimental effects in all corners of the planet.
It emphasises that Nigeria’s efforts, led by the President, have been acclaimed in Africa and globally.
Bello Wakili
