Advises strengthening of evidence-based preparedness

In its 2023 Nigeria Response Overview Disaster Preparedness Plan, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) has projected $20m as the total funding required to mitigate the effects of predicted flooding for 4.2m people for a 6-month period from May to October.

According to IOM, the funds would be used for immediate rescue missions and longer-term resettlement and rehabilitation initiatives.

IOM warned that 4.2 million Nigerians are at risk of displacement as the annual rainy season intensifies in 2023. According to Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) it is predicted that 4.2 million affected population will be at risk during the rainy season this year.

Besides, the 2023 Seasonal Rainfall Prediction (SRP) released by the Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NIMET) in early March 2023 indicated that the country should prepare for earlier than normal onset of rainfall in most parts of the country.

It could be recalled that in 2022, Nigerians experienced a devastating flooding which left serious impact in the country. This led to the displacement of over 2.4 million people and the damage of more than 676,000 hectares of farmland.

The report also stated: “Indications are that climate change is happening more rapidly in the states of Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe (BAY states) than other parts of the region. In other words, all impacts of climate change will be amplified; making floods and droughts more severe as rainfall is expected to become more unpredictable and future dry and wet periods are likely to become more extreme.”

“In view of the upcoming rainy season, IOM is preparing to implement a set of early actions to improve the preparedness and response capacities of government authorities and community members as well as strengthen the coping mechanisms. IOM will work closely with communities expected to be impacted in both camp and camp-like settings and host communities as well as government authorities”, the report read in part.

To mitigate the effects of the devastating rainy season, enhance resilience and reduce the risks of disaster, IOM stated that the following set of early actions to improve the preparedness and response capacities of government authorities and community members will be implement:

• Strenghten evidence-based preparedness
• Enhance preparedness of IDPs living in camps, camp-like settings, and host communities
• Enhance the resilience of host communities and IDPs for disasters by improving Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) and protection response structures
• Improve access to shelters and non-food items (NFI): In camp and camp-like settings and sites in host communities, IOM will: Preposition 4,050 Emergency Shelter Kits Type 1 and 5,630 Shelter Repair Kits within camp and camp-like settings. Preposition 1,736 Emergency Shelter Kits Type 1, and
  2,413 Shelter Repair Kits in host communities. Preposition 9,681 NFI kits in camp and camp-like settings and 4,149 NFI kits in host communities which can be delivered either in-kind or through cash transfers. Preposition 2,200 dignity kits for distribution to at-risk adolescent girls and adult women.
• Improve access to Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH)
• Strenghten preparedness and response capacity of partners

Source: IOM