Flooding: Declaring State Of Emergency Not Yet Necessary – Minister Suleiman Adamu [Video]

The Minister of Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu has revealed why the federal government will not yet declare a state of emergency on the disastrous flooding in some parts of the country.

Suleiman Amadu Says Flooding In Nigeria Is Not Yet Serious

Nigeria is arguably facing one of its worst flooding incidents in decades with over 600 persons killed and over two million displaced due to the disaster this year.

Speaking on Channels Television on Thursday, Adamu said it is not yet necessary to declare a state of emergency over the flood disaster because emergency agencies are not yet overwhelmed.

He said, “It’s certainly an emergency situation but it all depends on what you mean by the declaring state of emergency. We have not reached a situation in my view where the relevant emergency management authorities have not been able to deal with this situation. I’m not aware that has happened.

“We have governments, we have the federal government, we have state governments or state emergency management agencies and the Federal Emergency Agency. And I think they have not in any way said that they have been overwhelmed by what they have been doing.’

Mr. Adamu debunked the claim in some quarters that it was poor planning on the part of the government that led to the flooding.

The minister said the latest cases of flooding in the country were largely human making due to their years of disregard for nature and proper planning.

“The flood is a combination of many things. First and foremost, there is a natural disaster, like an earthquake and everything. There is an act of God but there is also a human aspect to it. For this, one particular thing I will say is that for hundreds of years, well, decades, let me exaggerate. We have been bastardising our watersheds. We have been deforesting our lands, we have been degrading our soil, that is one aspect.

“Secondly, many Nigerians just refuse to be law abiding. They have built on water courses, they have blocked drains and water channels. So many activities have been done. Yes. And of course, I will accept that there are certain strategies that are to be taken, maybe engineering solutions, that over a long period of time have not been addressed, but that is also probably because of the nature and the level of our economy.

“Water resources management is a very, very expensive venture that is a time consuming venture. To even study alone takes years to be completed. So it is a combination of so many issues, really,” the minister explained.

Mr Adamu also dismissed the assumption that the release of water from the Lagbo Dam in Cameroon caused the havoc.

He said the water contribution of the dam is low compared to the volume of water Nigeria generates internally.

Watch the video below:

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KanyiDaily recalls that Delta State University of Science and Technology, Ozoro, had been shut down for two weeks as a result of the ravaging flood that has negatively affected most parts of the institution.