HURRICANE SANDY AND THE NIGERIAN FLOODS

Many parts of Nigeria experienced flooding this year as a result of large amount of rainfall and release of water from dams. The floods started in early July and ravaged most parts of the central states down to the South East and South South of the country. According to the country’s National Emergency Management Agency, more than 300 lives were lost and over a million people displaced. Communities were totally washed away or cut off from each other, while homes, properties and farmlands and crops were lost, causing fears of impending food shortage around the whole country. To some people, the devastation caused by this flooding was only appreciated when aerial photos of the damage were beamed on National TV. 

Hurricane Sandy on the other hand descended on the East coast of the United States of America affecting almost 17 states and claiming the lives of over 100 people. The storm ravaged most parts of the cities of New York and New Jersey where entire neighbourhoods were destroyed. Everywhere was flooded with water which caused major services such as electricity and public transportation to be shut down.

While I observed these two disasters that affected these two different countries, I couldn’t help but compare some of the things that happened and how things were handled differently by both countries.

For example, while the Nigerians woke up in shock to discover themselves and their properties swimming in water, the Americans were fully aware of the impending disaster. Authorities have tracked the storm as it approached the U.S. right from Canada and the Caribbean Islands, satellite images of the storm have been shown to the people, from its size up to the hour it was expected to make landfall. Warnings were also issued to residents along the coastline and those in low areas to evacuate their houses.

When the disasters finally happened, while the American President Barrack Obama immediately abandoned what he was doing and went back to the White House to command things, the Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan was nowhere to be found.  Local officials in America were on ground giving out instructions and coordinating activities with regards to rescue and evacuation, while the affected people in Nigeria were left to themselves. In few places, the officials on ground were the National Emergency Management Authority staff who are poorly equipped and poorly trained to carryout any meaningful search and rescue. The silence from Local, State and Federal government officials was deafening.

While the Mayors of New Jersey and New York in America were on ground that day, leading, coordinating and briefing the people with updates on the extent of damage and the time it will take to restore electricity and other services, the Nigerian Governors on the other hand went on publicity stunts days after, in company of large aides breezing through the crowds like movie stars, flying in choppers, paddling canoes and giving out false hope to the victims of the flood.

Because the Americans were prepared, alternative shelters were already set up before the disaster happened. Camp beds were seen being set up at designated shelters. On the Nigerian side of things however, it was a case of haphazard arrangements and uncoordinated actions. People were seen dumped in school premises without food or water for some days before NEMA and the state governments started taking mattresses, rice, indomie and water, most of which were hardly enough for the people in the camp . It was clear that none of the Governors of the affected states had any clear plan on dealing with this kind of situation not with the manner in which they handled things and so they resorted to anything they felt seemed right for the situation such as hiring comedians to cheer the victims up.

Many Nigerians could not understand why it took their President weeks before he was able to declare the flood as a National disaster, and up till October 9^th before making a National broadcast to the people, giving out $110 million in financial assistance and setting up a committee on Flood relief and rehabilitation. Many also saw this move as an afterthought because the president did not refer to the floods at all in his National Broadcast he gave 8 days before on the Country’s Independence Day. Many also believed that the financial assistance may end up in the pockets of few individuals.

Even though some may think that making comparisons with America is not realistic, one cannot help but notice the way our elected officials treat the people whom they were elected to take care of most especially in terms of crisis despite having huge resources at their disposal.

  

BETWEEN GOVERNOR WAMAKKO AND PHCN

It was with bewilderment that we woke up to the news that the Governor of Sokoto State, Aliyu Wamakko has allegedly flogged one of the staff of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria PHCN. The story was that Governor Wamakko summoned one Mr. Moses Osigwe who is the Business Manager Gwiwa unit and two other staff to his office and personally flogged them with a horsewhip for failing to provide stable power supply in the State.

Another version of the story was that the Governor gave Mr. Moses Osigwe and his accomplices the sum of N17 million to purchase a transformer and fix in his hometown of Wamakko, but that the latter could neither provide the transformer nor the money given to him after a long period of time. So in a true emperor fashion, the Governor whipped him to his satisfaction before handing him over to the Mobile Police.

This situation led to the National Union of Electricity Employers NUEE to issue a 48hrs ultimatum to the Governor to apologize to their colleague over the alleged assault and foot his medical bill, or they would shut down power supply to the entire Sokoto State.

The governor in turn released a statement through his Special Adviser on media, one Umar Sani saying he does not owe anybody an apology, thus drawing the battle line with the Electricity Union, who in turn made their threat real by shutting down power supply to the state.

While this seemingly unending imbroglio between the Governor and the Electricity union continues, the questions on my mind now are, ‘What about the people?’ does the Electricity Union have the right to deny an entire State of power supply, even though the people pay for it?  What happens to all the small businesses that depend on power to survive, or the patients that will loose lives as a result of this total power outage? It is not as if the power supply is as regular as people would want it to be, but the little that is available is what people are making do with in their lives. For instance, I know that power supply in Sokoto town is rationed for 12hrs, which are broken into two among neighbourhoods, so if you are lucky to have light from 12 noon to 6pm you may not need to put on your generator throughout the daytime for your business.

I am not a fan of the Governor or his alleged primitive style of dealing with the PHCN staff, but I do not also support the method the Electricity Union is using in ensuring justice for their colleague.They should ask themselves how throwing the entire Sokoto state into darkness would affect Governor Wamakko, who can afford to buy diesel everyday of the year for as long as he remains governor – even if with public money? How do they think that the ordinary person, that cares less about who the Governor is will survive in this kind of situation? The barber who used to have at least 6hrs of electricity will now have to power his generator throughout the day – that is if he is lucky to find petrol which has become a scarce commodity throughout the country now.

The electricity Union should please reconsider its action and restore power supply to the state so as not to add to the hardship of the ordinary people in their bid to settle scores with the State Governor. I know the Governor enjoys immunity and therefore cannot be sued but surely, there must be other ways they can explore in resolving this issue without bringing untold hardship to the people of Sokoto State.