People and farmlands in four Local Government Areas in Ebonyi State, South East Nigeria are at high risk of sever flooding, according to a 2024 prediction of the Nigerian Metrological Agency, NiMET.
The Director General of the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, Zubaida Umar is therefore calling on Stakeholders in the State to mount aggressive enlightenment on people in the flood prown areas to avert devastating effects experienced in past years.
The DG was speaking in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State South East Nigeria, during a meeting and the flag-off of sensitization and downscaling of the 2024 flood early warning strategies to grassroots levels for effective and efficient early actions.
The NEMA boss represented by Ejike Martins lists the four LGAs in Ebonyi State where server flooding would be experienced as, Ikwo, Izzi, Abakaliki and Afikpo, noting that much would be achieved through the downscaling and aggressive sensitization.
The Ebonyi State Governor, Francis Nwifuru represented by his Deputy, Patricia Obila, is assuring the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA and other relevant Agencies of the State government’s support in mitigating the effects of flood on the people.
Some other Stakeholders took turns to express their concerns on the natural flood disaster, stating that timely information could have been helpful to farmers who have already cultivated in communities predicted to experience flood.
The meeting which also featured an interactive session, had in attendance sister agencies like the; Fire Service, and the Red Cross Society.
NIHSA has specifically stated in its 2024 Annual Flood Outlook that 31 States with 148 LGAs have been predicted to be within the high flood risk areas, while 35 States including FCT with 249 LGAs are considered to fall within the moderate flood risk areas.
