By Miriam Humbe
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) on Tuesday, convened a National Emergency Coordination Forum meeting of stakeholders to review the situation and strengthen partnership towards implementation of mitigation strategies and timely response to avert tendency of more losses from the disaster.
Mango Ezekiel, the Head, NEMA’s Press Unit disclosed this in a statement.
Humsimedia gathered that this was following flood incidents that have impacted on many communities across the country.
The coordination meeting brought together stakeholders from all critical sectors of flood management for stocktaking and review of strategies to activate initial plan of actions after the release of the Seasonal Climate Predictions and Annual Flood Outlook that revealed high probability flood in the country.
The Director General of NEMA, Mrs Zubaida Umar highlighted that so far, the flood had impacted on communities in 42 Local Government Areas across 18 states with 44 lives lost.
Umar said: “As we receive full details of the flood update and cholera situation across the country today, it is expected that it will awaken us to take more proactive measures to save the lives of our dear citizens and be able to adequately respond in areas that have already been affected.”
While appreciating the commitment of the stakeholders, she urged all relevant Ministries, Department and Agencies including non-governmental organizations not to relent in their effort in ensuring steps were taken to reduce the impact of disasters across the country, especially flooding and cholera outbreak currently being experienced.
She said NEMA had intensified efforts towards sensitizing the general public on the need to take precautionary measures to mitigate the impact of the predicted flood disaster through awareness campaigns at the Local Government and community levels and also through the print and electronic media.
She said: “NEMA is also carrying out sensitization and awareness campaign on proper waste management at the community level which is aimed at educating residents on proper waste disposal practices and the dangers of flooding in vulnerable areas.
“Additionally, NEMA has also activated the National Emergency Operation Center (EOC) to support and coordinate responses; share information; provide timely support to affected areas; collate and analyse flood incident data across the country”.
The NEMA boss was confident that the outcome of the meeting would engender more actions that would also address the public health concerns of the current cholera outbreak in some parts of the country.
She therefore urged the participants to make contributions that would enhance emergency preparedness and response across the country with a view to creating a resilient community.
The Head of United Nations Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN-OCHA) in Nigeria, Mr Trond Jensen assured the cooperation and support of the United Nations Systems in Nigeria to work with NEMA in the management of disasters in the country.
Similar assurances of supports to NEMA and disaster management were given on behalf of the Nigerian Military by Rear Admiral Umar Faruk from the Nigerian Navy and other goodwill speakers.
