Former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has called on governments at all levels to strengthen disaster prevention and emergency response systems to protect Nigerians from avoidable crises.
Obi made the call on Tuesday in a statement published on his Facebook page to mark the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction.
He said millions of Nigerians were grappling with natural disasters and preventable emergencies, worsened by governance challenges, inadequate planning and weak institutions.
According to him, flooding, insecurity, displacement, hunger, malnutrition, rising poverty, deteriorating infrastructure and loss of livelihoods have continued to threaten the safety and well-being of citizens across the country.
The former Anambra State governor argued that insufficient emergency preparedness and the failure to prioritise citizens’ welfare had exposed many Nigerians to difficult living conditions.
He noted that although disasters could not always be prevented, their effects could be reduced through accountable leadership, early warning systems, proper land-use planning, resilient infrastructure, effective emergency services and timely humanitarian assistance.
Obi warned that when authorities failed to identify potential risks or respond adequately to emergencies, vulnerable communities and individuals suffered the greatest consequences.
He said government performance should be assessed by the safety, dignity and quality of life of citizens rather than revenue figures, economic indicators or official ceremonies.
“No government can credibly claim progress while citizens are displaced by floods, abducted by criminals, forced into hunger, or left without protection from predictable threats,” he stated.
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Obi urged federal, state and local governments to adopt a people-centred approach to disaster risk reduction by investing in preventive measures, improving emergency response mechanisms and ensuring accountability in the management of disaster funds.
He also called for the prompt provision of relief materials and sustainable rehabilitation for communities affected by disasters.
The former presidential candidate maintained that Nigeria should not treat preventable suffering as a normal part of life, stressing that the protection of citizens’ safety, security and welfare remained a fundamental responsibility of government.
He called for a country where effective governance would reduce risks, protect lives and guarantee citizens the opportunity to live in safety and dignity.
Concluding his message, Obi said Nigerians could be protected from the worst effects of disasters, describing such an outcome as achievable.
“Nigerians thoroughly insulated from the most severe effects of disasters is OK and POssible,” he wrote, signing off with his familiar initials, “-PO.”