On March 21, 2023, Mr. Mustapha Habib Ahmed, the Director-General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), has emphasized the need for 36 State Governments and Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to take the necessary steps to mitigate this year’s flooding by setting up Local Emergency Management Committee (LEMC). He gave the charge while addressing Governor Abiodun Oyebanji of Ekiti State who gave a vivid account of measures being put in place to mitigate this year’s flooding.
The head of NEMA applauded the proactiveness of the Ekiti State Governor towards averting the flooding-related crisis and pledged the Agency’s readiness to partner with the State. Because the executive governor had previously started preparing for the upcoming flood season by having drainages cleared in Etiki State. He said that the governor has invited him to come to the State to see first hand what work is being done.
Agency boss highlights the major achievements of the operation.
The NEMA chair said that the agency trained all SEMA’s executive secretaries in Abuja. He said professionals from Bournemouth University and the whole department of disaster management of the university is in Nigeria to train the personnel. This included the director and three other professors, all of whom were around to train the executive secretaries of SEMA. He said Ekiti State government officials were among those that were here for the program and the executive governor passed the course.
Mr. Ahmed advised the governor to set up a Local Emergency Management Committee immediately. He also said he and his team would come for the inauguration. He said every disaster is local, and it starts from a community within a local government and a state. The NEMA boss said that the agency and the state have to collaborate and work hand-in-hand to ensure that what happened last year does not repeat itself. He said seasonal climate prediction has shown that Nigeria is having longer days of rain this year.
The planning department is working with the agency.
Department is working with the Agency and other stakeholders including the Nigerian Metrological Agency (NiMET) and Nigerian Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA). He said they are working together to identify areas that will be hit. “I just approved sensitization programmes across the country, jingles, TVs so that everybody will be aware of what is coming,” he said. Speaking earlier on Tuesday, he unveiled plans to set up the Local Emergency Management Committee (LEMC) as part of ongoing efforts to mitigate against 2023 flooding.
With what was done in Ekiti State, this has been replicated in all the 36 states of Nigeria and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Speaking earlier on Tuesday, he unveiled plans to set up the Local Emergency Management Committee (LEMC) as part of ongoing efforts to mitigate against 2023 flooding. He said that the agency is willing to partner and collaborate with the state, including attending the inauguration of the LEMC. “We are willing to come and see what you have done in terms of clearing of the drainages and everything there,” he assured.
Ensuring that the state can mitigate against the effects of natural disaster.
The governor of Ekiti State extends his heartfelt appreciation to NEMA on behalf of the state government and the people of Ekiti State. He said that they were grateful for ensuring that the state can mitigate against the effects of natural disasters which naturally will come. He said that the state government has received the NiMET report forecast for this year, and has noted that the rain this year will be longer. States have to be proactive to mitigate the effect of flooding and other natural disasters. He said the state has commenced early preparations towards that in areas that are prone to flooding, such as dredging. The state government has also started to alert the people to be prepared and has partnered with Local Governments to ensure that the effects of this are reduced.
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