ActionAid Nigeria has urged the Nigerian government to take immediate action to address the growing threat of flooding in 148 local government areas across the country.
The request came after the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation and the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) announced the 2024 Annual Flood Outlook (AFO), which is predicted to have the greatest impact on communities in the 148 LGAs.
In a statement released on Thursday, the Country Director of ActionAid Nigeria, Andrew Mamedu, underscored the gravity of the issue, saying that the potential impact of floods on millions of Nigerians cannot be understated. Mamedu asked federal, state, and municipal authorities to take early measures to minimise the approaching disaster.
“As we face the looming threat of high flood risk, the federal and state governments and all relevant agencies must promptly take action to mitigate the potentially devastating effects,” Mamedu said.
He also praised the federal government’s early warning efforts this year, but emphasised that full utilisation of existing resources—including the Ecological Fund—is necessary to strengthen flood preparedness. Mamedu stressed that, in addition to making vulnerable groups’ suffering worse, waiting too long runs the serious risk of prolonging poverty, given Nigeria’s already high cost of living.
“The federal government must not allow floods to set us back year after year. With proper measures in place, we can significantly mitigate the impact of floods and prevent recurring crises. Failure to act not only exacerbates the suffering of vulnerable communities but also risks further entrenching poverty amidst the already high cost of living in Nigeria,” he emphasised.
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