Floods: Tinubu approves N15bn to avert imminent national disaster

Alarmed by expert warnings over an imminent flood disaster in the country, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the immediate release of a whopping N15 billion to avert the looming national calamity.

Vice President Senator Kashim Shettima disclosed this on Wednesday while speaking at a workshop on strengthening coordinated risk monitoring and flood response, held at the National Counter Terrorism Centre, Office of the National Security Adviser (NCTC-ONSA) Auditorium, Abuja.

He said that, because of the importance of the assignment, he had directed relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of the Federal Government to collaborate and outline their financial needs so he could personally lead them to meet with the President for further discussions.

He stated that President Tinubu had welcomed strong collaborations to prevent the anticipated floods by combining technical expertise, financial resources, and operational capacity within the government and with the nation’s development partners.

The Vice President described Nigeria as fortunate to have Senator Tinubu as President, considering the leadership roles he is playing.

According to him, “President Tinubu is an asset to the Nation, what he needs at this stage is our collective support to take the country to the promised land. The Armed Forces are working round the clock to tackle our security challenges, but they cannot do it alone without our support.”

He declared that “the validation workshop for Nigeria’s Anticipatory Action Framework is not merely a gathering of technical minds and policy actors – it is a wake-up call, a call to reflect on how we protect our people, preserve livelihoods, and secure our shared future.”

According to him, “last year alone, floods affected over five million people. They displaced 2.3 million Nigerians, destroyed more than 450,000 hectares of farmland, and forced 1.2 million children out of school. This is not some scenario for an academic exercise. This was our reality. The victims represent all of us, our futures, and a national economy under immense strain.

“For decades, our response to floods and other climate-induced disasters has been reactive. Our preparation is either inadequate or we are caught unaware. We wait for the waters to rise, for the homes to vanish, and then we scramble for relief.”

“This late arrival of support costs more and saves fewer lives. The economic impact is no less staggering. We lose close to 5% of our GDP every year to reactive disaster responses. This approach is not only unsustainable, it is also deeply unjust to the most vulnerable among us.”

“This is why we must act before disasters unfold. Studies have shown that anticipatory action can reduce losses by up to 60 percent. That is not just a statistic. It is hope. It is the future of millions salvaged before ruin. It is the logic behind this shift, championed by our administration under the reassuring leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”

He further explained that “this shift was no longer a dream and as such all…”

According to him, “in Benue State, we have already seen its impact. Trained volunteers, responding to early warning alerts, successfully evacuated over 80,000 people within 72 hours. That is what it means to build early warning systems that work. It’s not just about integrating forecasting tools, but delivering timely alerts in languages our people understand, with clear instructions and trusted local networks. This reduces chaos and minimises loss.”

“Our Anticipatory Action Framework stands on three strategic pillars. The first is early warning systems powered by satellite technology and delivered through community-based networks to provide life-saving information in real time.

“The second is pre-triggered financing. No plan can succeed without resources made available before the storm arrives. We are ensuring that funding is in place to support swift, effective action. The third is localised preparedness. Our states and communities must be empowered not only as recipients of aid, but as frontline responders equipped with tools, authority, and autonomy.”

“The success of this strategy rests on establishing a dedicated trigger group, comprising NiMet, NiHSA, NEMA, NASRDA, NOA, and trusted partners such as UNOCHA, WFP, FAO, and the IFRC. This group will synthesise real-time meteorological and hydrological data, enabling forecasts 10 to 14 days in advance. This is, no doubt, the time for innovative thinking.”

“The innovation we seek is one where preparedness is further reinforced by rigorous field testing. This we can achieve when NEMA, the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, and the Nigerian Red Cross work together to map high-risk communities and pilot early-action cash transfers targeting over 300,000 households.”

Speaking on the importance of the workshop, the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, said a taskforce set up to mitigate the looming flood disaster was working tirelessly to develop a framework that “seeks to improve risk monitoring and also to harmonise the coordination of Anticipatory Action Response across all spheres to ensure the achievement of the desired.”

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According to him, “the imperative of early warning systems and timely response in mitigating the impact of disasters on vulnerable populations, and the groundbreaking role of the Anticipatory Action Taskforce in achieving this.”

“Disasters, be they natural or man-made, usually strike without prejudice, often with devastating consequences for those least equipped to withstand them. Vulnerable populations, including marginalised or underserved communities – men, women, children, the elderly, and persons with disabilities – bear the brunt of these catastrophes. It is our collective responsibility to ensure that we move beyond reactive measures and embrace proactive strategies that save lives, reduce their suffering, and preserve their livelihoods.”

“At the heart of disaster preparedness lies the concept of early warning systems. These systems represent our first line of defence in the face of impending threats, offering critical information that can change the course of events. Advanced technologies empower us to identify potential hazards – from rising floodwaters to advancing storm systems – with unprecedented accuracy.”

“To achieve this, preparedness plans must already be in place. This is what the Anticipatory Action Taskforce has come up with and are working tirelessly on. They are working to ensure that communities are well communicated, equipped with risk assessment, disaster response training, pre-positioned resources, and clear protocols that minimise chaos during emergencies. The unwavering commitment of the Anticipatory Action Taskforce to prioritise the most vulnerable, ensuring risk assessments and management protocols and timely intervention to marginalised groups, cannot be overlooked.”

The NSA appealed to all stakeholders concerned to work tirelessly together to achieve the workshop’s goal in the national interest.

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