An examination of national response to emergency and disaster in Nigeria: A case study of flood

Abstract

This study examined the national response to emergency and disaster in Nigeria (with special focus on emergency response to flood). The study also considered the National Disaster Management Framework, which mandates that emergency risk reduction be mainstreamed into development activities at all levels of governance with respect to spatial development planning including NEMA, SEMA and LEMA at the federal, state, and local government levels in order to enhance federal, state, and local government's capacity to lessen the likelihood and severity of emergencies. Despite the existing framework no significant progress has been made regarding national response to emergency and disaster in the nation. The challenge witnessed is that the local government in Nigeria is dysfunctional, because it has been enmeshed at the basement of the chaotic Nigerian federal system. This paper used secondary data and identified some of the reasons for inefficiencies. It also identified lack of the requisite manpower and subventions as factors contributing to dysfunctionality of the framework. The study recommends that the process and time of securing fund for emergencies should be addressed for effective response intervention. It also advocates for the allocation of part of the State Ecological fund to the local government for proper functioning of NEMA.