…says women, children worst hit by flood disaster

…assures of support for early preparation

By Gabriel Ewepu, ABUJA

BASED on the devastating floods Nigerians had continued to suffer, a nonprofit organisation, Passion for Life Initiative, PFLI, Tuesday, called on the Federal and State Governments to set up task committees on urgent measures to avert looming flood disasters.

Speaking with Vanguard on the need for governments at all levels and other stakeholders to work assiduously to ensure the basic issues are addressed proactively before the flood, the Founder and Chairman, PFLI, Duchess Daughter Mabinton, pointed out that the rains are already here, and there is no need to further delay in acting promptly to prevent loss of lives and property.

Mabinton also counselled that it is imperative to inaugurate task committees in all the States that are prone to flood disasters whose responsibility will be on mapping out strategies and urgent measures to ensure the people and their property are moved to safer places ahead of the flood.

She said: “We are living witnesses of the deadly 2012 flood that forced 1.3 million people from their homes, claimed 431 lives, and submerged thousands of hectares of farmlands.

“And recently the 2022 flood disaster surpassed that of 2012 in which over 600 people were killed and property and businesses worth millions of Naira were destroyed, whereby Nigerians are yet to recover from that overwhelming devastation.

“We advise that Federal and State Governments set up what we call ‘Task Committees’ with achievable Terms of Reference, ToR, before, during and after the flood.

“This committee should not be politicized but based on professionalism, integrity and patriotism with the objective of sustainability.

“They are to be saddled with the responsibility of mapping out strategies and urgent measures to ensure the people and their property are moved to safer places ahead of the flood. This will go a long way to mitigate the impact of flood on Nigerians.”

However, she pointed out that it is very important for funds to be made available to the committee which will also include credible and relevant Civil Society Organisations, CSOs.

She added that there is a need to have special funds set aside and approved by the State Houses of Assembly including the National Assembly for the committees to function properly.

“We also call on the governments to ensure the Task Committee has members from credible Civil Society Organisations, CSOs, for avoidance of politicizing the aim the committee is inaugurated for, and this will ensure checks and balances for optimal performance that will be lasting solution to the challenge of flooding”, she said.

Meanwhile, she (Mabinton) assured her organisation’s support for early preparation to safeguard the lives of Nigerians against the predicted flood as she said the organisation has been supporting communities in different parts of the country, which millions of Naira have been spent in providing scholarships for the indigent, women empowerment, sinking borehole facilities, renovation of school facilities, donation of educational materials to schools over the years, and recently executed and gifted Etche Town a N1.9 million borehole facility, which other six communities are to benefit.