The recent flood alert issued by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), warning that 20 states are at risk of flash floods in July, reveals a persistent failure in disaster preparedness, despite the availability of substantial financial resources.
Development Diaries reports that NiMet recently issued a flood alert for the month of July, warning that states including Sokoto, Lagos, Edo, Benue, and 16 others are at risk of experiencing flash floods.
Communities across these states, especially in Ondo and Niger, have already begun experiencing destructive flooding, resulting in the loss of homes, infrastructure, and lives.
This preventable pattern is not new, and it reveals glaring gaps in how ecological challenges are managed at both state and federal levels.
According to media report, following the recent devastating floods that ravaged several states, the Africa Environmental Health Organisation, climate change adaptation researchers, and members of the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners, among others, have queried state governments, calling for an intense scrutiny over the management of ecological funds allocated to affected regions.
Data shows that between 2012 and February 2025, the 36 states of the federation received a cumulative N622.15 billion from the Ecological Fund, resources intended specifically to address environmental issues such as flooding, erosion, and drought.
However, the lack of flood control infrastructure and the recurring cycle of emergency appeals by local leaders, as seen in Okitipupa, Owo, and Niger State, raise disturbing questions about how this money has been used.
Despite the fund’s purpose, most of the states appear grossly unprepared to mitigate or respond to flood risks.
More troubling is the lack of transparency and public reporting on the use of these funds.
The management of the Ecological Fund is under the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, which disburses funds according to directives.
However, there appears to be no consistent public audit or citizen-facing report showing exactly how state governments deploy these allocations.
For instance, between June 2023 and June 2024, states received N39.62 billion collectively, with Kano State receiving N2.5 billion, Lagos N2.1 billion, and Borno N1.97 billion, yet these figures do not reflect the preparedness on the ground.
This disconnect between allocations and impact suggests not just mismanagement but a troubling level of negligence.
The consequences are deadly. In Niger State, for example, the local Emergency Management Agency has confirmed a sharp rise in fatalities following floods in Mokwa town, further highlighting the tragic cost of administrative inaction.
Meanwhile, residents in affected areas like Igodan, Ikoya, and Igbotako in Ondo State are calling on the government for help, calls that could have been avoided with proactive planning.
Development Diaries therefore calls on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), and the National Assembly Committees on Environment and Public Accounts to immediately launch a full-scale audit of how the Ecological Fund has been utilised by states over the past decade.
Furthermore, the Ecological Fund Office must publish a breakdown of all disbursements and ensure states present verifiable plans for disaster risk reduction.
The lives of Nigerians should not continue to hang in the balance due to poor planning and unchecked misuse of public funds.
Photo source: CNN
