Retired Air Vice Marshal Kenneth Iyamu, President of the Association of Environmental Protection and Climate Change Practitioners, has raised concerns over Nigeria’s flood preparedness, stressing that policies remain unstable and institutions lack continuity.
Speaking during an interview on ARISE NEWS on Wednesday, Iyamu warned against Nigeria’s routine responses and limited preparation. According to him,
“As for preparation, no. We are too routine and basic in our preparation. Policies must be very stable. Must be very, I mean, must be very stable to be able to have the desired effect. Since 2023, we have had three Director Generals of the National Climate Change Commission. Three Director Generals, for God’s sake, how do you want people to take us seriously like that?”
“A nation as a priority must identify reality. When you don’t identify reality, you attract destruction. Well, the global warming and flooding is a universal phenomenon. So the universality all depends on the way you are doing everything you want to do,” He added.
Iyamu also drew attention to the risks posed by the release of water from Lagdo Dam in Cameroon and the vulnerability of Nigeria’s own dams.
“If we go there, we have 340 dams in Nigeria. And there are 117 million of them in the world. See, you must manage this flooding here very, very optimally. Because dams help you to manage flooding.”
On the government’s strategic plans, he questioned the impact of funds allocated.
“Documents are very good. They are very, very sweet. But it is your personalization… If you discount corruption and discount what they would not need, after that, two billion become very, very consequential.”
Asked about the state of dams in Nigeria, Iyamu deflected, saying: “I think that question should be best answered by the Minister of Water Resources. What I just know is that, look, there is universality, like I told you, in managing dams. Dam is created for you to solve your electricity problem, to solve your agricultural problem, to solve your social problem, and everything. It has to be controlled.”
Faridah Abdulkadiri
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