On Tuesday, the Senate called on the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) to provide detailed information on possible flooding in various parts of the country.
The call followed a motion sponsored by Fasuyi Oluwole (APC, Ekiti North) during the plenary. While presenting his motion, Oluwole expressed concerns about the havoc wreaked by floods on the Ipao, Itapaju, and Oke-Ako communities in the Ikole Local Government Area of Ekiti State. He stated that many residents are now facing “untold hardship” after the flood destroyed their homes and businesses.
Oluwole criticized NiMet and other relevant government agencies for failing to issue warnings to the residents before the flood occurred. He urged the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management, and Social Development, as well as the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), to send relief materials to the flood victims. Additionally, he requested the Senate to mandate its Committees on Environment and Legislative Compliance to ensure strict adherence to the resolution.
The majority of senators who contributed to the motion supported it. Ide Dafinone (Delta Central) seconded the motion. Dafinone, also a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), shared his own experience with NiMet, accusing the agency of demanding N3 million before issuing flooding predictions for his constituency.
“I took it upon myself to write them to ask for the following: weather forecast and predictions relating to Delta Central; historical data on flooding incidents in the region; recommendations and strategies for flood preparedness. I was to receive a reply from NiMet asking me to pay a sum of N3 million to get that information,” Dafinone said. He suggested that NiMet should be required to make all flooding warnings available to the public and specifically to state governments to enable adequate preparation for potential flood victims.
Joel Thomas (Delta South) emphasized the importance of proactive and timely information from government agencies. “The issue of flooding has become a perennial disaster. Government agencies must be proactive and up-to-date in providing information for people to get ready.”
Following these contributions, Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, who presided over the plenary, put the motion to vote. The majority of senators supported it through voice votes. Jibrin then directed NiMet to immediately make flooding predictions available to the public.
