Jutha Gupah, Maiduguri
July 31, 2023.
The Country Director of the International Rescue Committee (IRC) for Nigeria, Babatunde Ajei has said that the 2022 flooding; has claimed 600 lives with the displacement of over 1.5 million people in 14 states of the federation.
According to him, the IRC clinics in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states have over 35,000 children recorded as patients, as they contracted waterborne diseases from the flooding.
Ajei, in a statement, released yesterday (Monday), in Maiduguri, Borno state, disclosed that the floods have increased the susceptibility to further contraction of waterborne diseases in the affected States.
Besides, he added: “The disruption to the agricultural calendar, including planting of seeds or harvesting, and the potential destruction of fields due to rising flood waters.
He noted that it will equally impact on the food supply to the population.
Ajei stated that already, about 25 million flood victims are likely to go hungry by August of this year.
Besides, hunger, he warned that malnutrition in the Northeast and Northwest regions will continue to rise over what was recorded among children in 2022,
“About two million people had received humanitarian food assistance in April 2023,” he said, warning the risk of further disruption to education services must be taken into account.
According to him, Nigeria is ranked as one of the highest in out-of-school children.
He, therefore, called for fragile and conflict-affected countries, like Nigeria to be at the forefront of the climate agenda, as the global leaders prepare for the COP28.
“There is spectra of unprecedented flooding in 30 of the country,” he warned, stating that the people could not have access to potable water and health facilities, as 31 states recorded 23, 550 suspected cases of cholera, with Borno state having over 12, 000 cases.
On the part of the Committee, he added that it has launched an effective program to distribute cash in advance to communities that are at risk.
“This enables them to better prepare in advance to minimize the impact of perennial flooding,” he said.
End.
