The National Economic Council (NEC) has reconstituted its committee on floods in response to Nigeria’s ongoing efforts to address the recurring issue of floods nationwide.
Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule disclosed this while briefing Journalists at the end of this month’s meeting of the council, chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima.
He said states that are yet to submit their flood reports were given a deadline of Monday 9th September to do so.
The meeting of the National Economic Council, held once every month under the Chairmanship of the Vice President, brings together Governors of the 36 States of Nigeria, including some Ministers and the Governor of the Central Bank among other Stakeholders, to advise the President on economic matters and other issues of national interest.
Briefing Journalists at the end of the meeting for September, Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule said the council noted how the flood has devastated some parts of the country and so, it has reconstituted its comm
ittee on the flood, to alleviate the plight of affected states and persons.
He said: ‘The issue of flood was intensively discussed and the flood committee had to be reconstituted currently we have the new members of the council as follows; the Governors of Kogi, Akwa Ibom, Oyo, Ebonyi, Bauchi and Jigawa State.
‘Others include the Minister of State for Water Resources, Minister of State for Environment, Director General Nigeria Metrological Agency, Managing Director NNDC, and the Director General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).’
He said affected States have been given up till Monday to submit reports of the damages they have so far suffered.
‘The Council has also decided that Monday will be the deadline for all the States of the federation to submit details of damages including farms, schools and bridges affected by the last flood and the Chairman of the Council mentioned that the reports would be taken into consideration for appropriate support to the various States,’ the Governor stat
ed.
Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, disclosed that State Governors are happy with the three billion naira support they have each received from the federal government.
‘The Governors acknowledged the support from the federal government in terms of releasing three billion to each State as a measure to ensure that at least we provide palliation for the flood.
‘The flood was more devastating along the North-East axis where the major artery between Kano and Borno States has been cut off, lives were lost and a lot of properties were also destroyed.
‘The Council resolved that there would therefore be a need for more collaboration between all the tiers of government to ensure food security,’ the Bauchi State Governor added.
Source: Voice of Nigeria