Flood Disasters In Nigeria – How World Bank Wants To Help Out

Flood disasters – With affected Nigerian communities still trying to recover from the recent flooding incident that affected about 2.5million people, the World Bank has stated how it wants to help Nigeria out.

The Eagle reports the contrary to the belief of many, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management, and Social Development, Sadiya Farouq, that it was actually Jigawa that was most affected by the flood, and not Bayelsa.

In addition,  figures from the Federal Government’s flood data as of October 24, 2022 showed for example, that the number of injured persons was put at 81 in Bayelsa, compared to  148 for Jigawa respectively. Also, while there were 58 deaths were recorded in Bayelsa, it was 91 Jigawa.

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Also, the number of farmlands partially destroyed in Bayelsa was 703 compared to 3,849 in Jigawa

These are aside the enormous amount of resources, including infrastructure that had been destroyed in Nigeria.

However, the consolation is that the federal government has found a collaboration in the World Bank in terms of helping out with the aftereffects.

Hajiya Sadiya Umar Farouq, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development listed a post disaster rapid impact assessment.as starting point.

The minister spoke during a Ministerial briefing, said the post rapid impact assessment would use the Global Rapid post-disaster Damage Estimation (GRADE).

“This exercise is intended to give an immediate understanding and estimation of the extent of damage and loss caused by the flood.

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“This rapid estimation is needed, because, the physical Post Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA) will take between 6 to 8 months.

“So while we wait for the PDNA to be conducted, we can use the GRADE for planning and financial purposes.

“As GRADE has been found to be fairly accurate, the findings will guide programs of recovery and flood prevention. We are keenly waiting for the result of the GRADE assessment on or before Dec. 2,” Farouq said.

The Minister also called on all

stakeholders and partners to work towards early recovery and stabilisation of affected communities.

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“The Flood plan was a directive issued by His Excellency, President Buhari given his concerns of the experiences of floods in 2018 and 2020.

“The plan was developed by multiple stakeholders and all Ministries Departments and Agencies (MDAs), and it finally received approval of the Federal Executive Council in September, 2022.

“The Flood Plan is currently guiding our field operations and addressing any gap in coordination that we have faced at the Federal and Sub-National levels,” Farouq stated.

The Eagle also reports that this is not the first time that the bank would be supporting to ameliorate disasters in Nigeria.

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In 2014, the World Bank Group’s Board of Executive Directors approved a US$200 million International Development Association (IDA) credit for Nigeria to improve Oyo State’s disaster risk management capabilities, strengthen community-based resilience capacity, and provide support for risk assessment and early warning systems in Ibadan.

This followed the bank’s assessment that the flood incidents in that year, affected the poor and vulnerable most.

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In addition to significant human and economic losses, sectors like housing, education, agriculture and transport. Project investments will have considerable long term benefits such as improved city functioning and less impacts of flooding on livelihoods and other socio-economic activities in the city.