President Muhammadu Buhari has called for better coordination between federal authorities and state governments to develop a culture of respect for weather forecasts, and to act upon early warnings to avert the yearly occurrence of disasters.
The president made the call on Wednesday against the backdrop of the effect of heavy rainfall that has affected thousands of people in 32 states of the federation.
The rainfall has resulted in the loss of homes, farms, life and the disruption of normal life.
The president expressed sympathy to families and other victims of floods following continuing heavy rainfall over the last weeks.
Buhari who resumed normal activity on Wednesday after a five-day quarantine following international travel expressed concern over the situation as it unfolds, saying “I am constantly monitoring the situation and we will ensure that all possible help is extended to victims.”
He took notice of the fact that some states took the notices shared at different times of flood warnings, citing specific territories and communities named by the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, but which sadly were not only unheeded but the letters remain unacknowledged.
He however commended the few states that activated their response mechanisms following the warnings and did well thereby to avert the consequent unnecessary damage and losses.
In order to carry all the states along in the administration’s determination to put an enduring system for forecasting of floods and other natural disasters through the use of technology and improved coordination, the president, according to his media aide, Mallam Garba Shehu, had approved the convention of workshop by NEMA, in the coming weeks that would bring all states’ emergency response agencies to the table.
He said having taken stock of the situation throughout the country, the president had also given assurances that all possible support would be extended to the victims in line with shared responsibility between the two tiers of government.
