The National Economic Council has expressed concern over the reported widespread flooding affecting many states in the country.
This, NEC feared my have effect on the expected bumper agricultural produce harvest.
The governors of Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed and Nasarawa State Governor Abdullahi Sule disclosed this information shortly after the Wednesday’s NEC meeting chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
The flooding has so far recorded 205 deaths across 29 states of the nation in 2024, with 225,169 others displaced from their homes.
This was contained in an infographic report released by the National Emergency Operations Centre unit of the National Emergency Management Agency on Wednesday.
According to the report, the flood incidents also left 2,119 persons with varying degrees of injuries.
It indicated that Kano State is the worst hit with the number of deaths with 35 deaths recorded followed by Jigawa with 34.
Bayelsa and Bauchi take the third and fourth positions with 25 and 21 deaths recorded respectively.
An analysis from the report also indicated that of the 611, 201 persons affected by the flood, Bauchi led the chart with 86,000 affected persons followed by Sokoto with 83,000 victims and Zamfara with 75,000.
One hundred and fifty four local government areas were ravaged by the flood in the 29 states. Some of the affected states included Sokoto, Bauchi, Zamfara, Jigawa, Kano, Katsina, Niger, Adamawa, Bayelsa, Borno, Ondo and Kogi.
Others are Lagos, Oyo, Imo among others.
Bauchi State Governor Mohammed said the NEC has requested flood-affected states to submit damage reports by Monday, September 9, 2024.
He also highlighted the Council’s urgent call for improved food security measures, noting that flooded farmlands will affect harvest yields.
He said “The governors acknowledged the support of the federal government in terms of releasing N3 billion as a measure to ensure that at least they provide palliative for the flood.”
He noted that the flood was especially severe in the northeast, where a key route between Kano and Maiduguri was disrupted, causing significant damage to homes, schools, bridges, and livelihoods.
Mohammed added, “Of course, that has really provided a big challenge to us as a government and as a people in our states because we need to provide more of food security.
“Already, farmlands are already submerged and therefore there’s need for collaboration between all the tiers of government to ensure food security.
“The need for planning, collaboration and interaction to do that during the harvest time because the bumper harvest may not be as envisaged. So, the federal ministry of agriculture and all our subnational ministries are supposed to collaborate and ensure that something comprehensive is done.
“I know there has been a lot of devastation and we have been asked to give an inventory of destruction before Monday. But other measures of governance in terms of governance structure has been established by council.”
The Governor of Nasarawa announced the reformation of the flood committee in response to recent flood disasters.
According to him, the committee, designed to provide consistent intervention rather than ad-hoc solutions, includes governors from Kogi, Oyo, Ebonyi, Bauchi, Bayelsa, and Jigawa states, as well as various federal ministers and directors.
The council has set a Monday deadline for submitting details of the flood damage from affected states.
He stated “The Flood committee has to be reconstituted and the new members of the councils are governors of Kogi, Akwa Ibom, Oyo, Ebonyi, Bauchi, Bayelsa and Jigawa states.
Others are Minister of Water of Resources, minister of state Water of Resources, Minister of State for Environment, DG Nigeria Sovereignty Investment Authority (NSIA), DG NIMET, DG NWRI, MD/CEO NIWA, MD if NNDC, MD NEDC, and DG NEMA.
“The council has decided that Monday will be the deadline for all the states of the Federation to submit details damages including farms, schools, barges that have been affected by the last flood and Mr chairman mentioned it will be taken into consideration for appropriate support to the various states.”
