The Director General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Zubaida Umar, is calling on Nigerians to work together, to safeguard communities at risk, protect critical infrastructures and support what she called, uninterrupted socio-economic activities in the country from floodings.
The NEMA DG made the call during the stakeholders engagement on “2024 Downscaling of Flood Early Warning Strategies for Effective Early Actions” in Zamfara State in the Northwest zone of Nigeria, which held at the Garba Nadama Conference Hall in Gusau, the State capital.
The NEMA boss represented by the Director of Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Sani Lokoja, highlighted that in the past years, Zamfara State had been severely impacted by floods, which led to losses, damages and fatalities.
He said that for the 2024 rainfall season, eight Local Government Areas of Bugundu, Gummi, Gusau, Bakura, Maradun Talata Mafara, Shinkafi and Zurmi in Zamfara State, have been identified as moderate flood-risk areas.
Lokoja added that this underscored the downscaling and sensitization programme of the 2024 early warning strategies.
He called for support of the initiative from the grassroots, to mitigate the flood disaster in Zamfara State.
The State Governor, Dauda Lawal who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Abubakar Nakwada, implored government officials, traditional and religious leaders, and other relevant stakeholders, to actively participate in the sensitization programme, and use the strategies shared, towards mitigating the flood impacts in the risky areas of the State.
Stakeholders hope that the sensitization and enlightenment programme, will go a long way towards reducing the impact of floods, safeguard private and communal livelihoods and guarantee the path of driving socio-economic growth and development of the people.
(Editor: Ken Eseni)
