This was as it approved the recommendations of the Presidential Committee on Flood Mitigation, Adaptation, Preparedness, and Response.
Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, revealed this to State House Correspondents after the conclusion of the 137th National Economic Council meeting presided over by Vice President, Kashim Shettima, at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja, on Thursday.
He highlighted the committee’s proposal for an emergency budget approach sensitive to climate and flood crises.
The committee’s key recommendations also include setting aside a dedicated annual budget for flooding at all government levels and creating a National Flood Management Council to be domiciled within the office of the Vice President.
Governor Bello explained, “Given that flood management is cross-cutting and multi-sectoral requiring a comprehensive structure guided by strong frameworks and policies, the committee recommended the establishment of a National flood management council to be domiciled in the office of the Vice President.
“On the advice of the proposed council, the President should declare a state of emergency when a category 4 flood occurs.”
On funding options, the Governor disclosed that it recommended the Natural Resource Development Fund to mitigate and immediately respond to the flood crisis in Nigeria.
He added, “Annual budgetary provision for federal, State and Local Government, Ecological fund, immediate response and strengthening of data management for effective early warning.”
The Minister of Budget and Planning, Atiku Bagudu, expounded on the adoption of the Flood Committee’s report. He explained that the Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Zulum, is contributing to the initiative having offered six pivot irrigation schemes, each valued at $250,000, to assist other states in boosting production and supporting pastoralist populations.
“Governor Zulum has also provided two drilling rigs capable of reaching depths of up to 2000 meters. These are available to states needing such support,” Minister Bagudu stated.
Bagudu also revealed that the council considered a proposal for the adoption of a Pula initiative, a programme for the development of parametric crop Insurance through yield & weather index Insurance.
It covers drought, flood, locusts, cyclones and diseases. It also covers 22 crops – maize, rice, wheat (80 per cent), pulses, oilseeds, sugar crops, roots & tubers, cash crops (cotton, coffee, cocoa) and livestock.
The scope of the programme also includes insurance for over 11 million smallholder farmers and pastoralists, over 100 distribution partners, 67 Insurers, and 22 Global Reinsurers.
The initiative has so far successfully delivered crop insurance across the country.
A statement signed by the Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Communications, Stanley Nkwocha, revealed that “For the North East states of Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba and Yobe States, Rice, Maize, Wheat, Cotton, Cowpeas, soybeans and Millet have been captured. In the North West States of Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara, Rice, Maize, Wheat, Cotton, Cowpeas and soybeans were captured.”
“In the North Central states of Benue, Kogi, Kwara, Nasarawa, Niger, Plateau and FCT, Rice, Maize, Wheat, Cotton, Cowpeas, Soy Beans and Cassava have been captured.
“For the South West, Rice, Maize, Cotton, Cassava and Soy Beans have been insured particularly in Ekiti, Lagos, Ogun, Osun and Oyo, while in Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, Imo, Rice, Maize, Cassava and Cotton were insured,” Nkwocha added.
On financial updates, the Deputy Governor of Enugu State, Ifeanyi Ossai, reported the balances of various government accounts as of September 2023. The Excess Crude Account stood at $473,754.57, the Stabilisation Account at N37,597,965,211.43, and the Natural Resources Account at N144,683,136,928.25.
Ossai also discussed the Finance Minister’s presentation on budget support facilities for states.
The outstanding liability for the FCT is N49,105,873,326.75, with the 36 states sharing an equal liability, totalling N1,718,705,566,436.25.
On his part, the Lagos State Governor, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, said state governors and representatives of the Federal Government will converge for retreat within the first two months of 2024.
“There are a lot of issues that come up at NEC and under the leadership of the Vice President, a decision was made to plan a NEC retreat.
“It allows complete synergy between the federal government and the subnationals, that we can all come together for two, three days to plan activities and have a complete flow of ideas and be able to peer review and do things along the same line.
“It will be in Abuja in the first quarter of next year (2024). So, hopefully, January, February, thereabout,” he announced.
