The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, says that if elected, he will make plans to avert flooding catastrophes like the ones that recently claimed at least 600 lives in Nigeria. He said he would retool Nigeria’s disaster awareness apparatus if given the opportunity.

According to his verified social media account (Twitter), the former vice president said this when he visited Yenagoa, the Bayelsa Capital, to meet with flood victims.

“My government, if given the opportunity, will retool our disaster awareness apparatus, such as the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) and the Nigerian Hydrological Services Agency (NHSA), to better forecast disasters and give the warning signals required to activate our national emergency response protocols,” stated Mr Abubakar.

He noted that the retooling would also include the reform of the Nigerian Emergency Management Authority (NEMA) to ensure that it anticipates and responds to disasters “such as this, more efficiently than it did in the current situation.”

The PDP presidential standard-bearer added, “My government will ensure that we are never again be this badly prepared or lacking in the infrastructure and response protocols to forestall devastation of this nature from natural disasters such as this.”

He also mentioned that if elected, he would commit to completing the Dasin-Hausa Dam in Adamawa to manage the release of excess water from the Lagdo Dam in Cameroon.

“I shall also commit to working with state governments like Bayelsa to build the required flood management infrastructure such as levees and dykes in key locations in Rivers Niger and Benue Basins. The dredging of the rivers and estuaries through which inland waters empty into the sea will help in stemming flooding in the Niger Delta areas,” stated Mr Abubakar.

The PDP presidential candidate further expressed concerns about climate change and called on governments at all levels to immediately activate measures to forestall the food shortages and further increment in the already high cost of food that is bound to arise from the loss of hundreds of thousands of hectares of farmlands.

“There is no doubt that a large number of the victims are farmers. I also wish to make a plea for the establishment of a temporary fund for farmers to ameliorate their losses and give them capital for next year’s planting season,” stated the former vice president.

Mr Abubakar explained that part of the plans to lessen the burden on Nigerians “is for the federal government to consider increased releases of grains from our Strategic Food Reserves and review our import policies to allow for the interim importation of food to make up for shortfalls in food production.”

(NAN)