Reps Move To Prevent Flooding, Erosion, Other Natural Disasters

The House of Representatives at the plenary on Thursday, passed through second reading, a bill seeking to address critical issues such as climate change adaptation, drought, desertification, flooding, coastal erosion, dam failure, building collapse, oil spills, road accidents, fire, air crashes, boat mishaps, among others.

The proposed legislation, titled „Bill for an Act to Repeal the National Emergency Management Agency Act, Cap. N34, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and Enact the National Emergency Management Agency Bill and for Related Matters,“ was sponsored by the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, Hon. Babajimi Benson, and five others.

Leading the debate on its general principles, one of the co-sponsors, Hon. Amobi Ogah, lamented that Nigeria stands at a crossroads of a complex emergency and disaster management landscape and has a pressing need to shape sustainable solutions for millions displaced by conflict, flooding, environmental challenges, dam failures, building collapse, among others.

He stated that emergency response is still burdened by huge operational constraints, gaps occasioned by bureaucracy, inadequate funding, scarcity of technical skills, difficulty operating mechanisms, and poor implementation of policies and legislation.

The lawmaker noted that while the NEMA Act provides a solid foundation for disaster management, it lacks provisions for addressing critical issues such as climate change adaptation.

He said the bill seeks to establish a framework to address the critical issues mentioned, including the unplanned, imposed negative physical, emotional, social, health, and economic impacts on the victims. It also seeks to establish a self-sustaining alternative funding mechanism beyond the funding mechanism under the extant Act.

Ogah added that when the bill becomes law, NEMA would be repositioned to ensure climate adaptation and resilience in today’s world of complex disaster management.

He said, „ The National Emergency Management Agency (Establishment) Act of 1999 elaborately provided for the establishment, functions, and governance structure of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), making it the central body for disaster management in Nigeria, with State Agencies supporting its mandate at the State level.

„While the Act provides a solid foundation for disaster management, it lacks provisions for addressing critical issues such as climate change adaptation and resilience, digital transformation initiatives, drought, desertification, flooding, coastal erosion, dam failure, building collapse, oil spills, road accidents, and bomb explosions.

“NEMA will be repositioned through this Bill to ensure climate adaptation and resilience in today’s world of complex disaster management. This reform will also ensure that the NEMA disaster risk reduction strategy is aligned with international best practices. This will also transform NEMA into a stronger coordination authority.

“It will establish a disaster management institute to train NEMA staff and other stakeholders. It will also provide for the registration and coordination of Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOS) and International Non-Governmental Organisations (INGOS) on disaster management and support.“