CLARION CALL FOR URGENCY AND IMMEDIACY OF ACTION BY SUB NATIONAL GOVERNMENT ON THE NEW WEATHER PATTERN AND RAINFALL IN THE STATES (CLOUD BURSTS)

The heavy downpours in the last couple of days are no coincidences but the announcement of the arrival of a new weather pattern and flooding that do not show any signs, it just pours with devastating consequences. Nigeria has enjoyed stable weather conditions for centuries to the extent that no serious consideration was ever given to finding lasting solutions to flooding consequences.

The belief was that Typhoon, monsoon, tornadoes and hurricanes including “cloud burst” were the exclusive reserve of the western world to the extent that we never invested in advance weather predictions, disaster management systems among others. Since 1981 when the 1% ecological funds was muted in the aftermath of ogunpa and ojirami flooding, nothing substantial was put in place to show a nation in preparation for a world where climate have moved into economic challenges.

The warnings signal were sounded loudly by Exxon Mobil and other IOCs in the 80s that by 2000, the global temperature will hit 1▪︎c with clear consequences for vulnerable countries like Nigeria. Not even the 1992 increase of the ecological funds to 2% sounded the alarm bells nor encouraged any meaningful response that the leadership needed to invest in climate change and flooding. The fund was seen as a lagesse for sub national government for other problems other than the environmental issues.

The birthing process of the IPCC and UNFCCC including subsequent addition of 1% first line charge in 2002 bringing the funds to 3% was not enough to spur the sub national government to invest in climate change mitigation and enduring solutions to flooding. The sub national governments did not realise that nature always bid it’s time for disaster. The ecological funds since the 80s was akin to a mortgage market, no matter how long it is delayed, payments must be made with great cost. That is the current situation in the sub national governments across the country.

The expenditure of the “arrears” of the ecological funds is no longer a choice but now an emergency: It must be vomited.
Now with a dwindling economy, shrinking revenue and foreign exchange challenges, the options for dealing with climate change and flooding are very limited. My question remains, are we going to borrow again for a situation that have been adequately provided for since 1981?

The arrival of cloud burst and flooding have limited the country to only one choice IMMEDIACY AND URGENCY. When you are restricted to just one choice of action, it is normally not the best but a worst case scenario.

Climate change and flooding are the areas that are not in the realm of politics but reality.
The sub national governments must now provide the arrears of ecological funds since 1981 not as a choice but by compulsion as we are now in the jaw of the shack because today’s cloud burst is the devil’s alternatives; what ever the options, citizens must face the consequences of lack of visionary leadership.

CLOUD BURST HAVE NO SYMPTOMS BUT DISASTROUS CONSEQUENCES.

AVM (RTD) AKUGBE IYAMU fsi MNSA.
CONSULTANT ON CLIMATE CHANGE AND POLICY ANALYST ON ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES.

PRESIDENT ASSOCIATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AND CLIMATE CHANGE PRACTITIONERS