The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) in collaboration with Ondo State Government on Thursday, May 16, 2024, sensitised stakeholders on flood preparedness, mitigation and response.

The meeting had in attendance, representatives of disaster management agencies, security personnels and other relevant stakeholders who commended NEMA and the state government for the awareness.

The Acting Zonal Director of NEMA in the South-West, Mr Stephen Adewale, said the sensitisation was part of the mandate of the agency, to serve as an awareness agency and not only responsive agency, after disaster had happened.

Adewale said Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NiMet) had predicted flooding in some states due to heavy rain this year, and that Ondo was part of the states, hence the need for the awareness collaboration.

He assured of NEMA’s willingness to sustain such collaboration with the state government, so as to explore long term and more sustainable solutions to both natural and human induced disasters.

“Past records have shown that flooding had caused a lot of damages to properties worth millions of Naira and several loss of lives.

“This could have been mitigated if we all stood up to the challenges and came up with measures that would have helped in reducing the impact of flooding and associated diseases during the rainy season.

“Let me remind us that recent unpredictable weather conditions associated with climate change in the country and indeed, throughout the world, had caused adverse ecological dislocations across the nation.

“It has therefore become necessary for all of us to always promote and carry out activities to safeguard our environments, by ensuring that all drainage is cleared up,” he said.

Also speaking at the event, Ondo State Deputy Governor, Olayide Adelami, said the meeting was important due to the flood outlook for 2024, which had frightening predictions.

Adelami, who was represented by the Acting Permanent Secretary in his office, Mr Idowu Ojo, said the state government was happy with the programme, especially at a time the state had commenced advocacy.

“We are doing a lot to mitigate the effect of flood by ensuring massive dredging of waterways and advocacy of our people to avoid this disaster, and we will continue to do that,” he said.

Also on Thursday, NEMA) engaged critical stakeholders on the level of preparedness to mitigate flooding in Gombe State.

Mrs Ummunah Ahmad, the Head of Operations, NEMA, while addressing stakeholders at the meeting, said disaster management remained a collective task for all stakeholders.

Ahmad said that bringing stakeholders together would help them to brainstorm on plans to mitigate flooding based on NiMet’s 2024 Seasonal Prediction.

She said the exercise was aimed at sensitising stakeholders to enable them to create awareness on the climate prediction at the grassroots.

This, she said would allow relevant agencies and the communities to take necessary precautions to mitigate disasters during the rainy season.

“Disaster management is everybody’s business and requires collective collaboration and cooperation from all of you here in order to assist in saving lives and property.

“As you are all aware weather and climate have negative impact on agriculture, infrastructure, disaster management which is the reason why we should adhere to the predictions whenever it is made.

“Few months ago, 2024 annual climate prediction has been made public by NiMet. The seasonal climate prediction helps NEMA to analyse disaster risk implication and produce disaster early warning messages for the protection of lives and property.

“Therefore, the meteorological information being provided by NiMet always contributed immensely to disaster preparedness, mitigation and response plan of NEMA,” she said.

According to Ahmad, disasters come along with negative consequences such as loss of lives, property and livelihoods as well as injuries and displacement.

She stressed the need for concerted action by all stakeholders to mitigate impacts of the disaster on citizens of the state.

Ahmad also urged residents of the state to ensure that they take proactive measures to avert the disaster in their communities.

Also speaking, Mr Abdullahi Abdullahi, the Executive Secretary, Gombe State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), said the agency conducted series of sensitisation activities to avert flood disaster in the state.

Represented by Mr Ibrahim Nalado, the Deputy Director, Relief and Rehabilitation in the agency, Abdullahi enjoined residents to clear waterways and avoid acts capable of exposing them to disaster.

Mr Hisham Ibrahim, the Head of Department, NiMet, Gombe State office, said making Seasonal Climate Prediction (SCP) public was for governments and individuals to take caution while those in the agriculture sector could leverage on it to ensure good farming activities.

Ibrahim urged relevant agencies to create more awareness in rural communities to enable rural dwellers to leverage on the predictions to boost their agricultural output.

On his part, Mr Sani Dutse, the Spokesman, North-East Zonal Office, National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), said the agency would continue to enforce environmental laws to mitigate flooding.

The event was attended by representatives of the Police, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Gombe State Fire Service, and Gombe State Ministry of Health, among others.

By Segun Giwa and Peter Uwumarogie