FG prepares to respond to future flooding, says Minister

The Minister of Environment, Mrs Amina Mohammed has said that mechanisms to respond to future incidence of flooding in the country have been put in place.

Mohammed, speaking at a forum of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja, noted that the 2012 flood caused a lot of damage because of lack of preparation.

According to her, there are mechanisms that have been put in place so that we can have an emergency response should it happened again which we were not really for prepared that time (2012).

"This time, we are working more collaboratively with NiMet to see that forecasting is done, and planning so that we are warned in time to take some actions together with the states,’’ she said.

The minister warned that the incidences of flooding erosion, drought and the likes might continue as they were the realities of climate change.

"The reality of climate change is that these incidences will increasingly happen if we do not take the adaption and mitigation measures that we need to do.

"Certainly, that – 2012 flood was crisis for us because we were not prepared. We should be prepared the next time,’’ she said.

Mohammed, however, said the Federal Government alone should not be saddled with the responsibility for preparations as the state and local governments had roles to play.

"What we need to do is to share information and to have a collaborative way in responding to it because it will cost lives; it will cost property if we do not do that.

"I think this is something that we have to pay attention to.

"For instance, we have a forecast for drought this year. That is where we have the Ministry of Agriculture is taking the measure to ensure that food security is addressed.

"The states that would be affected should collaborate with the Federal Government to see that we have good measures in place,’’ the minister said.

On erosion, Mohammed said that the Federal Government was already collaborating with the World Bank to address the menace in 17 states in the country.

She added that this was to holistically and systematically address the issues of land use and watershed management which causes of erosion.

"We are looking at it in much deeper view than emergency response to gully erosion that is taking away roads and bridge.

"That programme will be executed in about 17 states,’’ she said.