From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
Vice President Kashim Shettima chaired the 143rd National Economic Council (NEC) meeting at the State House in Abuja, focusing on the severe flood crisis affecting various states.
Addressing State House Correspondents, the Governor of Bauchi State, Bala Mohammed, said participants discussed the federal government’s release of N3 billion to support flood relief efforts.
He said council noted that the floods have particularly devastated the northeast, severing critical routes between Kano and Maiduguri, resulting in significant loss of life and property, as well as widespread damage to infrastructure, schools, and farmland.
Mohammed said the council emphasised the urgent need for enhanced food security measures, highlighting that submerged farmlands will impact harvest yields.
“The flood was more devastating along the north east axis where a major artery between Kano and Maiduguri has been cut off with devastating effects on households, schools, bridges and other means of livelihood.
“Lives were lost and a lot of properties were also destroyed.
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. There’s 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,” Mohammed stated.
He added that as a result of the devastation council has given the states till Monday to submit inventory of destruction.
The NEC, a constitutional advisory body composed of state governors and key federal officials, aims to devise comprehensive strategies to mitigate the flood’s impact and ensure food security as the nation grapples with these pressing issues.
The Governor of Nasarawa Abdullahi Sule, said council established governance structure to ensure the interventions will not be Ad-Hoc.
He said the flood committee has to be reconstituted and the new members of the councils are governors of Kogi, 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 Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA), DG Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), DG National Water Resources Institute( NWRI), MD/CEO National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), MD of North East Development Commission- (NEDC), DG National Emergency Management Agency( NEMA) and DG New Nigeria Development Company Limited (NNDC).
Sule said: “The council has decided that by 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 Me chairman mentioned it will be taken into consideration for appropriate support to the various states.
“So these are the new very strong membership of the flood committee that will continue to address council henceforth.