Black day in Borno
New report shows that Maiduguri flood could have been avoided
My heart is with all the victims of the Maiduguri flood. It even hurts differently knowing that it could have been avoided. Please continue to raise your voice for these vulnerable Nigerians and donate whenever you can.
- Margaret
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Let’s get into today’s edition:
Borno spent only 2.45% of ₦816.34 million ecological fund on flooding in six months
FG approves ₦3 billion disaster management fund for all Nigerian states
NCDC increases surveillance as mpox cases rise
The Big Deal
Borno spent only 2.45% of ₦816.34 million ecological fund on flooding in six months
There’s a new report that shows that the Maiduguri flood, which has caused the death of 30 people and displacement of over 400,000 people, could have been avoided.
In case you didn’t know, the flood started when the Alau Dam on the Ngadda River, about 20 kilometres (12 miles) south of Maiduguri, broke over the weekend.
According to data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Borno State received about ₦816.34 million from the Ecological Fund between January and June 2024. The federal government provides this fund to help address environmental problems and natural disasters in Nigeria.
One would think at least half of the ₦816.34 million fund would actually be used to implement a flood prevention strategy but think of the barest minimum and you still wouldn’t be able to guess how much was spent. So far, only ₦20 million, which makes up 2.45% of the total fund, has been spent on flood control.
Why is this a big deal?
Experts believe that the breaking of the Alau Dam shows that the dam wasn’t properly managed. The lack of adequate spending on flood control measures, despite having available funds, shows that the state’s authorities were not particularly interested in preventing such disasters. This poor management shows nonchalance and raises serious concerns about the mismanagement of funds among government officials even when lives are involved.
FG approves ₦3 billion disaster management fund for all Nigerian states
Speaking of the floods in Maiduguri, the federal government has finally decided to be proactive by approving a ₦3 billion disaster management fund. The rainy season doesn’t appear to be ending anytime soon so we’ll most likely see other flooding cases in states across the country.
Vice President Kashim Shettima, who announced this plan in Abuja, said the new funding is meant to help states prevent these possible cases of flooding.
But the Borno budget case shows that money, which is necessary to prevent similar tragedies, probably isn’t enough to prevent more Nigerians from dying and becoming homeless.
The ₦3 billion fund has the potential to help leaders develop infrastructural strategies that can prevent Nigerians from dying but Nigerian leaders aren’t exactly known for managing funds appropriately. But who knows? Life is full of surprises.
NCDC increases surveillance as mpox cases rise
Not to be a Debby Downer but we have another bad news. Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has just confirmed that mpox is on the rise in Nigeria.
As of Wednesday, there were 1,031 suspected cases across 35 states and the Federal Capital Territory, with 67 confirmed cases.
Borno State is currently the only state without reported cases but the United Nations has predicted that there’s likely going to be another cholera outbreak at the emergency Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps in Maiduguri.
But there’s no reason to worry, at least not yet. A vaccination campaign will start on October 8, using the 10,000 doses of the mpox vaccine from the US. The vaccine will go to five key states—Bayelsa, Edo, Cross River, Lagos, and Rivers—to protect close contacts of mpox cases, health workers, and those with weak immune systems.
We wish we could say all is well outbreak-wise but NCDC also said there’ll probably be a substantial increase in Lassa fever cases. So if there was ever a time to take care of your health and practice better hygiene, it’s now.
The Big Picks
Tinubu Meets With King Charles At Buckingham Palace: President Bola Tinubu recently met with King Charles III at Buckingham Palace in London. Bayo Onanuga, the President's Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, said the meeting was private and emphasised the strong and valued relationship between Nigeria and the UK.
FG Signs Cape Town Treaty For Aircraft Leasing: The Federal Government has signed the Cape Town Convention to help lower the cost of running airlines in Nigeria.
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