Editor
By Fatima Saka
In furtherance of its proactive approach to flood risk management, the Director General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mrs. Zubaida Umar, has activated all Zonal, Territorial, and Operational offices of the Agency nationwide.
Their mandate is to collaborate with the States Emergency Management Agencies (SEMAs) within their jurisdiction to carry out rescue missions and evaluate the current situation.
The NEMA Zonal, Territorial, and Operational offices are strategically positioned in Lagos, Ibadan, Ekiti, Abuja, Minna, Jos, Enugu, Owerri, Port Harcourt, Edo, Uyo, Kano, Sokoto, Kaduna, Maiduguri, Yola, and Gombe.
The NEMA headquarters operates a toll-free emergency contact line: 0800CALLNEMA (080022556362) and is active on various social media platforms to facilitate nationwide feedback from the public.
NEMA Search and Rescue teams have been dispatched to various states to provide essential support in coordinating rescue operations with SEMAs and other relevant stakeholders in recently affected areas and communities. The Agency is also conducting swift assessments to identify any additional assistance required in the affected communities.
NEMA’s rescue efforts complement the ongoing public awareness and sensitization campaigns aimed at notifying the public of the anticipated floods and advising on necessary preventive measures.
Recently, the Director General of NEMA, Mrs. Zubaida Umar, engaged in flood advocacy in Anambra State. During the advocacy, she held discussions with the Deputy Governor, representing the Governor, as well as religious and community leaders. The focus was on strategies to prevent and mitigate flood occurrences in the state, which typically experiences severe flooding annually. Mrs. Zubaida Umar has previously visited several states and engaged with stakeholders nationwide on the same mission, with plans to continue advocacy efforts.
As part of its pre-rainy season flood prevention advocacy, the Agency collaborated with the media to disseminate flood awareness messages through jingles. NEMA also organized emergency coordination forums with key stakeholders to prepare them for the anticipated disaster.
Following the flood predictions, NEMA promptly communicated with all State Governments, providing them with a list of Local Governments at risk and outlining necessary actions to prevent or mitigate the disaster. Several states that heeded NEMA’s advice have acknowledged the positive impact of their early actions aligned with the warnings and NEMA’s responses.
NEMA Boss reiterates the flood warning and urges all stakeholders, including State and Local Governments, to be prepared as the rainy season intensifies.
