Expect longer days of rain in Nigeria – NEMA DG warns

Director General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mr Mustapha Habib Ahmed on Tuesday buttressed the need for the 36 State Governments and Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to take proactive steps to mitigate this year’s flooding by setting up Local Emergency Management Committee (LEMC).

The NEMA DG made this known while giving an address during the visit of the Ekiti State governor, Abiodun Oyebanji in Abuja. He 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.

“Let me start by commending the Executive Governor because he has started preparing for the flood season, he has already started clearing drainages in Ekiti state. To prove to me that he’s doing that, he has invited me to come to Ekiti state to see what they are doing towards that.

“ About two months ago, we trained all SEMAs’ Executive Secretaries here in Abuja, we brought in professionals from Bournemouth university and the whole department of disaster management of the university was in Abuja to train all the Executive Secretaries of SEMA . Ekiti state was part of those that were here for the programme and thank God, he was one of those who passed that course.

“Sir, I would advise that we set up Local Emergency Management Committee immediately. Let us come there when you are going to inaugurate them”, he said.

Habib further explained the need for a collaboration even at the community level, so as to work hand-in-hand to avert a repeat of last year’s flood disaster as the seasonal climate prediction has shown that there will be longer days of rain this year.

Governor Oyebanji expressed his gratitude to NEMA for supporting Ekiti State and partnering with them in ensuring that they are able to mitigate against the effects of natural disasters.

“I attest to a very robust relationship with Ekiti State and NEMA. If there’s one state that is benefitting and will continue to benefit, Ekiti state is one of them. Most of the time, natural occurrences will not announce that they are coming, but whenever they come most of the time we will be able to respond because of the support from this Agency.

“We have received the NiMET report forecast for this year, we have noted that the rain this year will be longer and that States have to be proactive to mitigate the effect of flooding and other natural disasters.

“As a State, we’ve commenced early preparations towards that, in areas that are prone to flooding, we’ve commenced dredging on our own and we have also started to alert the people to be prepared and we are partnering with Local Governments also to ensure that we reduce the effects of this.

“But we can do more with the support of agencies like NEMA. And that is why I’ve come.

“So, we are preparing, we just need NEMA to please focus more on Ekiti State, concerning intervention support for our people. Because when natural occurrences happen and you go visit and you see pains in the faces of the people, it beats your heart and most of the time, you are not able to do all. I’m sure NEMA is aware of what happened in Oke Agbo Ekiti where we had like 150 houses blown off. There is a limit to what the government can do. The day I sent my Deputy Governor there, they sent pictures to me, that day I couldn’t sleep. I felt so bad. We have intervened within the limited resources available to the State because there are competing needs.

“We will continue to educate our people on the need to build correctly, and the need to avoid blocking of drainages. We’ve spent a lot of money to clear our drainages just to prepare for flooding and also to respond to natural occurrences.

“The State Agency is in active collaboration with NEMA and I receive daily reports on the kind of support that you are offering them,” he stated.