The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) have teamed up to find a long-term solution to the annual flood disaster that affects the nation.
At a workshop aimed at creating a national disaster risk reduction strategy and action plan, Mustapha Ahmed, the director general of NEMA, stated: “The need for the development of this plan arises from the outcomes of the assessment conducted by Overseas Development Institute on behalf of the United Nations Development Program on the Sahel Resilience Program.
“The assessment was aimed at ascertaining the status of Disaster Risk Reduction in the evaluation of the implementation of Sendai Framework 2015-2030 in the seven West African Sahel countries of Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, and Senegal. Findings in the assessment report, indicate that in furtherance to the plans and frameworks so far produced by the National Emergency Management Agency, it is necessary to develop a comprehensive document for Disaster Risk Management for Nigeria.
“This plan is also very critical in enabling Nigeria to align with and drive the targets of the Sendai Framework and the African Program of Action on Disaster Risk Reduction.”
The NEMA DG went on to say that the urgent need to create the Nigeria Disaster Risk Management Plan was sparked by the recent increase in the frequency and severity of disasters, including building collapses, banditry, urban and market fires, and boat accidents. These hazards are fueled by climate change and variability.
During her speech, Dr Reshmi Theckethil, the UNDP's project manager for Sahel resilience in Nigeria, stated: ” Almost half of Nigeria’s population, or 91 million people, faces multidimensional poverty. Communities are being impacted by environmental and health hazards like droughts, floods, epidemics, and man-made disasters such as oil spills and terrorism. Challenges from rapid population growth, urbanization, and socio-political issues often contribute to conflicts, violence, and increased insecurity.
