Buhari reviews flood situation in 32 states, pledges assistance to victims

President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed his sympathy to families and other victims of floods following continuing heavy rainfall over the last weeks.

This development which has affected thousands of people in 32 states of the country, has resulted in the loss of homes, farms, lives and the disruption of normal life.

The president, who resumed normal activity on Wednesday after a five-day quarantine following international travel, expressed concern over the situation as it unfolds.

Malam Garba Shehu, the President’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja quoted the president as saying:

“I am constantly monitoring the situation and we will ensure that all possible help is extended to victims.”

Buhari, however, called for better coordination between the federal authorities including the National Emergency Management Authority and state governments to develop a culture of respect for weather forecasts.

He maintained that citizens must act upon early warnings to avert the yearly occurrence of disasters.

The president acknowledged that some states took the notices shared at different times of flood warnings, citing specific territories and communities named by NEMA, but which sadly were not only unheeded but the letters remained unacknowledged until this day.

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.

The president approved the convention of workshop by NEMA in the coming weeks that would bring all states’ emergency response agencies to the table.

He said this would enable the federal government 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

While taking stock of the situation throughout the country, the president assured that all possible support would be extended to the victims in line with shared responsibility between the two tiers of government.