Nigeria’s Vice President, Kashim Shettima, has reaffirmed President Bola Tinubu’s dedication to the Renewed Hope Agenda and his government’s commitment to improving the socio-economic conditions of Nigerians residing in the most vulnerable communities in the country.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Committee On Flood Mitigation in Nigeria Submits Report
He made this statement on Tuesday during the submission of a comprehensive report by the Presidential Committee on Flood Mitigation, Adaptation, Preparedness, and Response at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
The report outlines a roadmap for enhancing the country’s flood response and preparedness, derived from the findings of three prior and ongoing assignments, including the National Economic Council’s Ad-hoc Committee Report on Flood (ongoing), the National Flood Emergency, Preparedness, and Response Plan (2022), and the Report of the Presidential Committee on Development of Comprehensive Plan of Action for Preventing Flood Disasters in Nigeria (2022).
Impact of Climate Change
During the formal presentation of the Committee’s report, the Vice President addressed speculations about the reality of climate change in Nigeria.
He stated, “Climate change is undeniably real, and its existential threat is evident in the extreme events witnessed globally and the devastating climate challenges faced by Africa. Africa bears a disproportionate impact, and bringing it closer to home, Nigeria has been grappling with drought, floods, etc. The prevailing narrative on the climate crisis is that it is either too much (floods), too little (drought), or too polluted.”
“Our primary goal here is to find a solution to the ‘too much’ scenario which is flooding. Historic flood events have severely impacted communities, leading to devastating consequences on livelihoods, people, and the environment, with loss of lives witnessed in some cases, as seen in the last flood in 2022.”
Presidential Committee Submits Report on Flood Response Harmonization
* Tinubu Committed To Improving Lives Of Vulnerable Nigerians, Says Shettima
Vice President @KashimSM has reaffirmed President @officialABAT‘s commitment to the Renewed Hope Agenda and his administration’s… pic.twitter.com/pKfl1UMNXc
— Senator Kashim Shettima (@officialSKSM) November 14, 2023
Describing the report as a testament to President Tinubu’s dedication to the Renewed Hope Agenda, VP Shettima emphatically stated that the Tinubu administration is focused on improving the socio-economic conditions of Nigeria’s most vulnerable communities.
The Vice President highlighted that the committee’s report was influenced by scientific data and forecasts from agencies such as the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA), and the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA).
According to him, the report identifies vulnerable communities prone to flooding and presents a roadmap with recommendations to address the issue.
Commending the committee for their diligence, VP Shettima expressed, “I would like to begin by expressing my gratitude to this Committee for their hard work, commitment, and dedication in developing the report.”
“I extend my heartfelt appreciation to everyone for devoting their time to completing this assignment within the 7 days that I stipulated when we first convened in this very chamber, which meant working through the weekend. The mandate was clear, and it has been fulfilled.”
The VP directed the committee to present the report to the National Economic Council (NEC) for further deliberations and possible endorsement by the council.
During his presentation, Prof. Emmanuel Adanu, the Director-General of the National Water Resources Institute, a member of the Presidential Committee, and Chairman of the Technical Working Group, elucidated on the primary causes of flooding in Nigeria and the strategies to mitigate its impact.
He emphasized that the ultimate objective of the committee’s work is “To shield the nation from the devastating impacts of floods, safeguarding human lives and property while promoting the sustainable conservation and enhancement of water-related ecosystems.”
