The Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawal has stated that the Federal Ministry of Environment would continue to collaborate with relevant agencies in mitigating flood in the country.
Balarabe disclosed this in Abuja recently while receiving the House of Representative Ad-hoc committee on flooding led by the Chairman, Hon. Dr. Mandala Usman and some members.
The Minister reiterated that flood is sensitive, worrisome and most times man made which requires collective efforts of all citizens to find lasting short, medium and long time solution.
He noted that the Ministry has deployed many policies to prevent and control flood that ravages many communities across the country that includes, afforestation Programme, National Clean Cooking Policy, National Adaptation Policy, Early warning alert, Sensitization on the danger of flooding, Enforcement of environmental laws, Training and retraining of professional officers and Installation of modern equipments among others.
He further disclosed that flooding can be controlled through rain harvest like in China, Maintenance and building of more dams, creating water channels as well as, establishment of more flood laboratories, banning of single plastic use, regular maintenance of drainage system nationwide, water management, planting of trees, introduction of insurance cover and publicity of the danger of flooding through public awareness.
Balarabe called on the National Assembly on the need for the state Governors and FCT Administrations to adhere to the implementation of land use act, stoppage of turning forest reserve and water ways for residential or commercial areas.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mahmud Adam Kambari in his response solicited for the support of the National Assembly for more funding to tackle the devastating challenges of flood in Nigeria.
Kambari also called for prompt release of funds meant for the Presidential Initiative on flooding.
Earlier in his briefing, the chairman of the ad-hoc committee on flood from the House of Representative, Hon. Dr. Mandala Usman stated that the committee was in the Ministry to ascertain the Policy that the Ministry and it’s agencies had so far adopted to control flood in the past and in the present.
Dr. Maidala also emphasized that preventing flood is better than solving the challenges due to funding challenges.
The Chairman also asked for the reintroduction of National Sanitation Day, Planting of more trees, Collaboration with state Governors for utilization of ecological funds, Ministry of Housing and Urban Development to afford blocking water ways and encroaching into forest reserve, Enforcement of Environmental Laws, Sustaining Advocacy with relevant agencies, Attracting local and International support and Carbon Credit.
He assured the Ministry of their periodic visitation to evaluate the efforts to prevent further occurrences of flooding nationwide.
Signed
Ibrahim Haruna
Director, Information.
