Disaster Relief Fund: Why fix it when it’s not broken? By Yahaya Etila

 

Recently, the federal government announced the establishment of a “Disaster Relief Fund” to address national disasters such as floods. I struggled to understand its purpose and objectives because Wale Edun, Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of Economy, stuttered when he made the announcement.

Yes, there is no doubt that when disasters strike, it is incumbent on the government to provide timely relief to the affected people to cushion the effects of such disasters. Does the country have a framework for dealing with disaster situations and have the agencies involved in disaster management lived up to expectations? I think the government has an ulterior motive. It looks like a carousel.

While the creation of the Disaster Relief Fund seems brilliant on the surface, it has left many unanswered questions about the core mandate of the fund and its effectiveness in administering disaster relief in Nigeria. It is not enough to receive funds in a central pool. The last thing I checked about donations and funding is not the missing link in disaster prevention and management in Nigeria, but rather strengthening the capacity for rapid response to national emergencies. This is critical thinking.

Establishing a Disaster Fund is not critical thinking. There is deep suspicion about how much money could be made and who should be responsible for the expected influx. This is what the government seems to be interested in. I correct myself.

It also appears that the government has forgotten that there is an agency called the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) whose mandate is to “coordinate resources towards efficient and effective disaster prevention, preparedness, mitigation and response in Nigeria”. It also appears that the alleged eggheads behind the establishment of the Disaster Relief Fund are unaware that there are five phases of emergency management, including prevention, mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery.

Wale Edun, the Chief Minister, in making the announcement said: “We know we have the NEMA Relief Fund, we also established the Flood Relief Funds around 2012, but Mr. President believes that in this era of climate change we need of climatic events as well as from time to time there will be preventive measures, disasters will occur”.

What is the meaning of what he said? Let me help him. It should not be a function of what the President “feels,” but of what is needed. For example, the emphasis was on the era of climate change. Is climate change a new concept? Who should have reminded the President of other agencies like the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA), which performs the preventative function in the disaster management ecosystem?

For the record, NIHA has a flood warning system that provides flood warning coverage, a real-time, community-oriented warning system geared toward reducing flood-related risks. Establishing flood warning systems near any major stream or body of water provides critical information that can protect property and save lives. I think the government also needs to do well to strengthen NIHSA’s operations and capabilities. If this were done, it implies that the country would have addressed a key component of the National Disaster Management Framework (NDMF).

What this move by the government did was start the process of redundancy of some critical bodies of the government and create a parallel arm that can rival the existing structures. What happens next? Disaster victims in the country would suffer as high-level politics would take place. A regime of lethargy and blame game would truly begin. This is a common feature in our climate.

Let’s make some hypotheses. Suppose a disaster has occurred in a part of the country and funds have been donated for this purpose to the Disaster Relief Fund. Would there be a framework for the Disaster Relief Fund to address the situation or would we rely on the network of NEMA, NIHSA and other agencies in the ecosystem to improve the situation? But by the looks of things, the government is not looking at the issue of disaster prevention and management holistically, hence the hasty establishment of the Disaster Relief Fund. It is like creating monsters by solving a problem because the government did not take into account the institutional rivalry that this move would create.

Don’t forget that disaster situations require a rapid response approach. Creating bureaucracies ultimately defeats the purpose. It is not enough to channel energy into storing disaster relief funds. What about prevention and preparation to manage disaster situations? This is key to ensuring a robust disaster management strategy. I think the government got it wrong. It could also pass for a reflex action without a clear purpose. Or perhaps the goal is to keep adequate records of donor funds for disaster-related purposes and not address catastrophe situations. If this is the case, then I dare say that the government has no intention of addressing disaster situations in the country.

What I expected was the strengthening of agency operations in the disaster prevention and management ecosystem for operational effectiveness. It’s not rocket science. If you experience significant losses in operational effectiveness, the rational thing to do is to strengthen your governance processes and structure. We cannot duplicate roles and responsibilities given the country’s dire economic situation. No matter how glossy it is, the Disaster Relief Fund is a duplication. It is unnecessary and is contrary to the National Disaster Management Framework (NDMF), which provides a clear mechanism that serves as a regulatory guideline for effective and efficient disaster management in the country.

The NDMF was designed in 2018 and supported by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) to implement measures that enable communities, individuals, businesses and institutions to minimize the adverse effects of disasters in Nigeria, improving thus the ability to prevent, prepare for, respond to and recover from disasters in all elements of the country. It also addresses the accessibility and governance of financial resources for disaster management. It is stated that for disaster-related issues (DRM) to be successful, “plans and operations must be linked to the financing needed for (a) immediate liquidity for short/medium-term relief and recovery, (b) mobilization of resources for prevention and mitigation investments, (c) long-term recovery or reconstruction”.

In light of the above, my question is: what does the government want to achieve by establishing a Disaster Relief Fund where there is a robust disaster management framework in the country? The onus is on the government to provide answers to this question. And if all government cares about is sharing resources, then we are caricaturing governance and its impact on people’s lives. We must tell ourselves the truth. Some things don’t add up. Why fix it when it’s not broken?

■Etila, a development expert, wrote from Abuja.

The post-disaster relief fund: why fix it when it’s not broken? By Yahaya Etila first appeared on TheConclaveNg.