By Miriam Humbe
The National Emergency Management Agency on Tuesday, convened a National Emergency Coordination Forum meeting to enlighten stakeholders and discuss preparedness and proactive measures with regards to the 2024 flood prediction.
Humsimedia gathered that the meeting was in line with the Agency’s mandate to coordinate emergency preparedness, mitigation and response activities across the country.
The meeting was also in response to the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) and Nigerian Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA)’s 2024 Seasonal Climate Prediction (SCP) and Annual Flood Outlook (AFO) predictions, identifying 25 States and 72 Local Government Areas as flood high-risk areas between April to June; 33 States and 135 LGAs between July and September; and 19 states and 44 LGAs between October and November.
NEMA, with relevant stakeholders, developed the 2024 climate-related disaster preparedness and mitigation strategy as it affects Agriculture and Food Security, Water Resources, Transportation, Health, Telecommunication and Power Generation and Distribution.
NEMA’s Director General, Mrs Zubaida Umar called on all relevant stakeholders to live up to their responsibilities so as to prevent loss of lives and property.
She said NEMA would on its part continue to intensify efforts in mitigating the predicted flooding and sensitizing the general public.
She said stakeholders in “various emergency sectors including Food Security, Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), Health, Nutrition, Education, Protection, Information, Emergency Shelter & Non-Food Item, Camp Coordination and Camp Management, Security, Information and Logistics are requested to be holding regular (coordination) meetings.
At the front burner should be preparedness and mitigation measures to be able to effectively respond to adverse climate related situations that may arise this year.
Umar said: “As it is rightly said, early warning is to be backed by early action so as to mitigate the impact of possible disasters.”
She said that the two-day Experts’ Technical Meeting convened by NEMA to analyze the disaster management implication of the SCP and AFO predictions to develop the 2024 climate-related disaster preparedness and mitigation strategy had made some recommendations for various sectors including Agriculture and Food Security, Water Resources, Transportation, Health, Telecommunication and Power Generation and Distribution.
She said: “Some of the recommendations include but not limited to community sensitization and awareness campaign to ensure early desilting and clearing of debris in water bodies to prevent blockages; monitoring of dam discharge and regulations, as well as creating detention dams, and the need for sub-national entities to mobilize flood prone communities to clear water ways and channels and relocate from flood plains”.
The Director General of NIHSA, Engr Clement Nze urged the stakeholders to heed the message from NEMA and take seriously the flood predictions generated in the AFO and support efforts towards averting flooding and loss of lives this year.
Also, the Director General, Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, Dr Mohammed Babagana Bulama who was also at the meeting assured the support of his agency to further awareness on the dangers of flooding in the country.
Other speakers at the meeting included the Director of Safety, Nigerian Navy Headquarters, Rear Admiral Umar Faruk and the Director, Disaster Management Nigerian Red Cross Society, Mr Benson Agbro who presented the goodwill messages on behalf of their organizations with assurances of partnership with NEMA.
The Meeting also featured discussions and sharing of ideas on the way forward to efficient management of floods in the country.
