The federal government has deployed a team of experts to help mitigate the effects of the flooding that hit Maiduguri, the Borno state capital, during which not less than 30 people reportedly died, and about two million displaced.
To this end, the government said the team of experts will carry out continuous water sampling and tests and also identify sources of hazardous chemicals, while taking proactive measures to prevent waterborne diseases.
Minister of Environment Balarabe Lawal announced this in a statement issued Wednesday in Abuja. Lawal said he led key officials of the ministry to pay a condolence and sympathy visit to the state last Friday.
Blueprint reports the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation as saying the flood was occasioned by the overflow of water from the Alau Dam, located about 10 kilometres from Maiduguri city centre.
This, it said, resulted in a massive inflow from the Ngadda River, a major tributary of the River Yedzaram.
…Fresh moves to tackle disease outbreak
Speaking in a statement on the government’s moves to reduce the environmental hazards from the flood, Lawal said it was imperative to focus on the urgent need for a coordinated and comprehensive response to mitigate the resultant environmental challenges posed by the flood.
Lawal said: “During the condolence visit, I informed the Governor that the Federal Ministry of Environment will send a team of experts from the relevant departmenst, agencies and projects to collaborate with Borno State Government in addressing the impacts of the flood.”
The statement listed the team as comprising experts from the Department of Pollution Control and Environmental Health, the Department of Erosion, Flood and Coastal Zone Management, the Department of Forestry; the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-arid Landscape Programme Project, the Nigeria Climate Adaptation-Erosion and Watershed Project, the National Park Services, and the Environmental Health Council to help in mitigating the effects of the flooding.
He said: “The above team will carry out continuous water sampling and tests, identify sources of hazardous chemicals, and take proactive measures to prevent waterborne diseases. Similarly, the team will maintain continuous sampling of water sources which is essential for monitoring water quality, identifying contamination, as well as taking proactive measures to maintain public health and safety in the state. All agencies under the Ministry in Borno State have been directed to collaborate with the State Government to mitigate the effects of the flood disaster.
“So far, 100 drums of 40kg of chlorine have been deployed to Borno State to disinfect water sources, ensuring safe drinking water and preventing waterborne diseases like cholera. Furthermore, the Ministry will deploy 30,000 flyers to sensitise the public on best sanitation and hygiene practices which include proper waste disposal, frequent handwashing, and personal hygiene to reduce the spread of infections.
“Beyond immediate short-term response, the Ministry will also work closely with Borno State Government to develop comprehensive flood mitigation strategies and early warning mechanisms to safeguard against future recurrences. We will also explore avenues for collaboration with international partners to strengthen the State’s capacity for disaster risk management and climate adaptation.”
While commending Governor Babagana Zulum for what he called his swift response, the minister said: “I am confident that under His Excellency’s capable leadership, Borno State will emerge stronger from this tragedy and the resilience of its people will once again shine through.
“I hope that together, the Federal Government will strengthen its resolve to build resilience against such environmental challenges in the future.”
…Monkey Pox threat in IDP camp
Also, following an alert over a suspected case of Monkey Pox, the medical team of the National Emergency Management (NEMA), in collaboration with the staff of USAID and WHO, Wednesday, isolated a patient, her mum and all those sh had contact with.
NEMA said this in a statement by its Head Press Unit, Mr.Ezekiel Manzo.
He said the preliminary assessment revealed that the mother when asked, revealed the child had been bogged down and scourged with rashes in the preceding two weeks while none of her siblings had such.
“The Borno Local Government Disease Surveillance team has taken her blood sample for further examination while she continues to receive medical attention,” the statement said.
“We have directed strict compliance of all preventive measures against the spread of the infectious disease across all camps, including practice of proper, regular hand-washing and disinfection of surroundings,” Manzo concluded.
…Unsafe drugs seized
In a related development, a joint team of officials from the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control NAFDAC) and the Borno State Ministry of Health Wednesday raided uncovered several neglected warehouses storing drugs worth millions of naira in Maiduguri’s Gamboru area.
In the raid, jointly led by Commissioner of Health Baba Malam Gana, and NAFDAC’s Director for the North-East, Kenneth Azikiwe, the team seized the compromised drugs to prevent their sale and distribution.
This came on the heel of the directive by NAFDAC’s Director General, Prof. Christiana Mojisola Adeyeye, to prevent a public health emergency that could result from the sale of flood-damaged medicines.
Blueprint reports that the warehouses were found in isolated and unsafe locations used to store drugs damaged by the recent disaster.
Addressing journalists, Malam Gana underscored the significance of proper drug storage, assuring that the state government would put measures in place to forestall such unsafe practices in the Gamboru medicine market.
Gana said: “Medicines must be stored properly, and we are committed to ensuring that the Gamboru market will not be the same again. We will take immediate action to ensure compliance with safety standards.”
On whether business owners affected by the seizure of their flood-damaged drugs will be compensated, the commissioner assured that the state government, with support from the federal government, would provide assistance.
He said: “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has assured the people of Borno that they will not be left to suffer. Those who lost their businesses, including those in this market, will receive assistance from both the federal and state governments.”
Also speaking, leader of Gamboru medicine sellers, Bukar Modu, said: “We are fully prepared to cooperate with the government’s directives. Our primary concern is the health of our people, and we hope the government will provide us with the necessary financial support after this process.”
…Over 150,000 children in 26 camps – SCI
Meanwhile, the Save the Children Initiative (SCI) Nigeria has revealed that over 150,000 children were in 26 camps, and many cut off from their families.
Country Director SCI Nigeria Duncan Harvey disclosed this Wednesday at a media parley in Abuja.
Harvey said over one million people across the state were affected by the flash floods, with 400,000 displaced.
“Of those, 300,000 have found shelter in 26 displacement camps, which on Friday from Bakassi camp, one of the largest camps, the conditions there are particularly harsh for children; overcrowding, and lack of basic services and shelter. Food and water are also in very short supply, despite the best efforts to scale up responses” he said.
Harvey said: “Our immediate concern is the short-term need for food, water, and shelter, especially for children and their families.
“Additionally, we are supporting children who have been separated from their families. One of the most distressing things I witnessed in Bekasi camp was around 20 children who had been separated from their families. Our child protection team is working hard to reunite them with their families, while providing appropriate care in the meantime.
“We are particularly concerned because this disaster occurred during the lean season, when malnutrition is already at its peak. Many children were already malnourished before the flood, and now face even more severe challenges living in these camps.
“The state government has shown impressive leadership in response efforts, and the coordination on the ground has been commendable. However, the conditions for children are dire, and there is an urgent need for more resources and stronger coordination to scale up life-saving interventions.
“We have about 200 staff working on the ground, collaborating with the Borno state government, the UN, and other international NGOs to respond as effectively as possible. Tomorrow, I’ll be meeting with the humanitarian country team, and we’ll be working to coordinate our resources to save as many lives as we can, with a particular focus on children.
“The governor described this disaster as the worst in living memory, and our sympathies are with everyone across Borno state. By joining our resources, we hope to minimize the loss of life and protect children in this crisis.
“There are 300,000 people registered in 26 camps established temporarily by the Borno State Government, we know that half of the population of the State is children.
“So, we can estimate that 150,000 of those people living in those camps are children, and that is a real cause for concern and then we continue to protect those children in terms of health and nutrition, make sure they have access to safe drinking water and appropriate care in place.”
…More donations
In the midst of all this , donations continued to pour in for victims of the disaster as their purse, Wednesday, swelled by about N2billion.
Leading the pack was Nigeria’s First Lady and Chairperson Renewed Hope Initiative(RHI), Senator Oluremi Bola Tinubu, who donated N500 million.
Represented by the wife of the Vice President, Mrs. Nana Kashim Shettima, the first lady sympathised and condoled with the Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Abubakar Garbai Umar Ibn El Kanemi, and Governor Zulum.
On the entourage were wives of the governors of Borno, Lagos and Yobe states, ministers of sports, agriculture and food security, wives of Senate President and that of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, among others.
Similarly, Governor Umar Dikko Rada announced Wednesday a N100 million donation in support of the victims when he led Katsina state delegation, including the Emir of Daura, Alhaji Umar Farouq, representative of the Emir of Katsina, Alhaji Daura, the Durbin Katsina and others.
Also, the management team of the University of Maiduguri led by the Vice Chancellor, Professor Mohammed Laminu Meleh, also paid similar visit.
In his response, Governor Zulum appreciated the first lady’s visit and acknowledged the support and contributions of the renewed hope initiative as well as the N500 million donated for the support and assistance of victims of the flood disaster.
He assured of judicious utilisation of all donations received on behalf of the victims.
…Other donations
The sum of N1.35 billion was also donated by the state chapter of Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), comprising 27 local government councils with each donating N50 million.
In the same vein, the Nigerian artistes from the North, under the Kannywood umbrella, led by a popular Hausa musician, Alhaji Rara, were also on hand to sympathise with people of the state, during which they donated N10 million.