How FG ‘ll Tackle Perennial Flooding, Climate Crisis – Sadiya Farouk

How FG ‘ll Tackle Perennial Flooding, Climate Crisis – Sadiya Farouk

The Federal Government says it will leave no stone unturned in its efforts to tackle perennial flooding and other disasters across the country, caused by climate change.

Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq, gave the assurance at a one-day workshop in Abuja.

Themed, “National Consultative Workshop on 2022 Flood Preparedness, Mitigation and Response in Nigeria,” the event was organized by the National Emergency Management Commission (NEMA) to sensitize stakeholders and the general public on the underlying steps to avert the recurring incidents of flood in the country.

The Minister, represented by the Deputy Director, Disaster Management, Dr Abubakar Ismail, noted that the workshop was very timely and imperative as flooding has been taking its toll on some parts of the country.

She disclosed that the federal government, through her Ministry, has taken note of this year’s weather and climate prediction, by working with relevant stakeholders to mitigate the possible effects of such flooding.

In his speech, the Director General of NEMA, Mustapha Habib Ahmed, recalled that the present workshop was organized as a follow-up to the release of the 2022 Seasonal Climate Predictions (SCP) by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) and the Nigerian Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA).

The Annual Flood Outlook (AFO) has forecasted that 233 LGAs in 32 states and FCT are highly-prone to flood risk, while 212 LGAs in 35 states of the Federation including the FCT fall within the moderately probable flood-risk areas.

According to the DG, “All these information guides NEMA and other relevant stakeholders in ensuring effective and efficient flood preparedness, mitigation and response in Nigeria so as to save lives, property and infrastructure”.

He noted that, after the release of the report, NEMA as usual carried out series of activities relating to flood preparedness and mitigation including; Organizing stakeholders meeting; Public sensitization campaigns using aired jingles on radio, television and social media platforms; and Production of flood risk map for vulnerable LGAs among others.

“In the event of occurrence of the predicted flood disaster, NEMA will activate the Emergency Operations Centers for search and rescue and needs assessment as the case may be,” he said.

On his part, the Director General, NIHSA, Mr. Clement Eze, lauded NEMA’s efforts for supporting his agency towards providing equipment that have been making it easy to conduct their work effectively.