Editor
By Fatima Saka
The National Emergency Management Agency has taken prompt action by initiating assessments in collaboration with the State Emergency Management Agencies (SEMAs) to deliver timely and appropriate assistance to those affected.
Through its Emergency Operations Centre established for flood monitoring and resource deployment coordination, 27 states have been affected, impacting a total of 227,494 individuals.
Additionally, 32,837 houses have been damaged, along with 16,488 hectares of farmland and crops.
This swift response by NEMA to the flood incidents is a testament to the proactive measures taken by the Agency, including the deployment of search and rescue teams and the heightened readiness of all NEMA zonal and operation offices. Relief items are also being dispatched by the Agency to supplement the relief efforts of state governments in aiding the flood victims.
NEMA is committed to continuing public awareness campaigns and grassroots initiatives through advocacy and workshops on effective solid waste management. These efforts aim to raise public awareness on the importance of clearing obstructed drainages and waterways.
The Director General of NEMA, Zubaida Umar, emphasizes the Agency’s dedication to coordinating and providing essential support for effective disaster management in the country.
She stresses the importance of communities at risk of flooding and those residing near water bodies to relocate to safer elevated areas before the peak of the rainy season.
Furthermore,
Mrs Umar urges all stakeholders, particularly SEMAs and community leaders, to be prepared to swiftly activate plans and preparations for potential floods given the escalating incidents in certain regions.
In a related development, the Director General of NEMA advises farmers not to be alarmed by the temporary dry spell experienced in some states. She assures that this situation will soon pass, as indicated in the seasonal climate forecasts released earlier this year by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet).
