The disaster requires a more comprehensive approach, disaster relief, and emergency assistance void of political, ethnic, or religious discrimination to effectively support state and local governments and their citizens.
By Saidu Idris
365Daily – The International Human Rights Commission (IHRC) has urged the global community to come to aid Nigeria in reducing the impact of the floods ravaging parts of the country.
Many parts of the country have been ravaged by the devastating effects of flooding, the worst in 10 years, with around 90,000 Nigerian homes reported to be submerged as a result of flooding in 27 of the country’s 36 states. It was also estimated that the floods have killed around 500 people, while 1.4m are displaced, according to authorities.
The IHRC Ambassador at Large and Head of Diplomatic Mission Nigeria, Dr Duru Hezekiah, said in a statement signed by the head of the agency’s media unit, Mr Fidelis Onakpoma on Saturday, October 15, 2022, in Abuja, that the flooding is unfortunate.
He lamented that the 2022 flooding experienced in the country is ”intense” and ”Nigeria’s worst flood disaster in a decade.”
While noting that it is increasingly becoming worse than those of 2012 and 2018, he stated: “I am deeply distressed by the scope of devastation and suffering that has befallen Nigerians by the rising floodwaters which have recorded human and material losses with several homes submerged in Kogi, Anambra, Bauchi, Gombe States, among others.
“Apart from submerging houses and farmlands, critical infrastructures such as schools, healthcare centres, police stations, banks, offices were also affected; a situation that made the state governments shut down schools in the riverine areas.
“It is undoubtedly imperative that the Federal, State and Local Governments share the responsibility for protecting their citizens from disasters, and for helping them to recover when a disaster like this strikes.
“In these cases, however, the disaster requires a more comprehensive approach, disaster relief, and emergency assistance void of political, ethnic, or religious discrimination to effectively support state and local governments and their citizens.
“In our compassionate plea as an Intergovernmental Diplomatic Organisation, we hereby appeal to other International Agencies – the International Fund for Agricultural Development, EU, NEWMAP and others to come to our aid,” Hezekiah said.
Hezekiah flayed the political class for not giving the situation the attention its deserves, saying it was inhumane to abandon them to hardship imposed on citizens by the flood while focusing only on their political activities.
He added: “It is creatively challenging to hear politicians inducing how to win the forthcoming elections and not telling us how to win a ravaging pandemic that perhaps attracts a declaration of a national state of disaster.
“A coming together of a people to address a course that has respect for the fundamental human rights of Nigerians is more important now than any political campaign.”
While affirming that Kogi and other affected States were not alone on this, Hezekiah commended Gov. Yahaya Bello of Kogi, National Emergency Management Agency and State Emergency Management Agency for their efforts in cushioning the impact.
He urged states to make available to the public a toll-free telephone number in their situation rooms with the task of coordinating responses and obtaining urgent disastrous cases.
“I also urge governors in the states to be accessible and flexible in accepting proposals and partnerships aimed at providing appropriate actions and implementation of participatory emergency plans when made”. (NAN)
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