Opinion by PetersideDakuku: Flood, passivity, and a ruined future via thecableng
The floods have hit 27 of Nigeria’s 36 states and impacted around 1.4 million people, according to the ministry of humanitarian affairs and disaster management. It has been reported that more than 500 people have been killed and 90,000 homes submerged, apart from supply chain disruptions.
The impact of the flooding in Nigeria is exacerbated by a lack of respect for science and leadership problems. Our lack of respect for science and preference for superstition is at the root of the flood disaster we have at hand. Since we do not respect science, therefore we seem not to have any place for strategic planning based on scientific evidence. The flooding problem is symbolic of a country whose leadership at all levels does not value planning, working with data and proactiveness.
First, we must take the science of environment and climatic changes serious. It is noteworthy that in the recent instances of flooding disasters, it is not the lack of data and scientific knowledge that has been the problem, but the lack of effective and efficient use of data analysis to plan and put measures in place to either prevent flooding or reduce its impact. Our leaders act as if all environmental emergencies are Acts of God and, therefore, inevitable. This is baseless ignorance.
Second, the first line of defence against flooding is in arming Nigerians living in flood-prone areas with adequate science-based information on the risks involved in their environments, how to mitigate these and when to seek safety elsewhere. The institutions saddled with this responsibility must be alive to it and be held accountable when they fail in utilising scientific data to inform people about their risk levels and create robust early warning systems.
The federal government can use its security apparatus to support and enforce evacuations, maintain dredging and waste management, and invest in flood mitigation efforts and infrastructure. In flood-prone areas, it should work on enhancing food resilience and security. In times of disaster, food and medicine are essential to limit the casualties of the disaster.