The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has carried out an enlightenment campaign in Abia State on the national preparedness and response on disaster and related hazards for effective early actions to save lives and livelihoods during the 2025 rainy season.
Zubaida Abubakar Umar, director general of National Emergency Management Agency, while speaking during a one-day sensitization campaign in Umuahiia, noted that the devastating impacts of annual floods in Nigeria have served as a wake-up call for all tiers of government, esteemed partners, the private, the media and citizens to collaborate with the agency to manage disaster risks and safeguard the resilience of the country.
Umar, who was represented by Watson Bradson, Director, South East NEMA disclosed that in the past, lives had been lost, means of livelihoods and infrastructuring costing billions of Naira have been destroyed by floods and associated hazards.
“Nigerians have equally suffered injuries and lost their life savings due to unmitigated incidences of floods and secondary hazards every year.
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“As we can recall, rain and flood forecast contained in 2025 seasonal climate prediction and annual flood outlook by Nigeria Meteorogical Agency and Hydrological services respectfully have provided insights into rainfall pattern and flood scenarios during the year.
“In the same vein, NEMA has also developed the 2025 climate Related Risk Management implication, preparedness and mitigative Actions out NIMET-HIHAS predictions to serve as a guide to reduce the impacts of flood during the year “Umar stated.
She said NEMA has also developed disaster mitigation strategies which include: capacity building of local emergency responders, simulation exercises, rainwater harvesting, adherence to predicted rainfall onset before planting by farmers among others.
Sunday Jackson, the executive secretary, State Emergency Management Agency in his speech, said that what the state government has put in place is to ensure that the downscaling gets to the Local government level, permeating to community level.
He noted that the essence is to build resilience among flood prone communities.
Jackson further that the aim is to preposition flood prone communities and stockpile relief for communities that would be affected by flooding.
He revealed that last year a total of 67,512 were affected by flooding while out of this figure, 27,550 were rendered homeless across the 17 local government areas of the state.
NEMA/SEMA rounded of the programme by sensitizing residents of Umuafai communities in Umuahiia North Local government Area of the state on the impending flooding and disaster risk management.
