Director general (DG) of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) Mustapha Ahmed has urged state governors to take proactive action to mitigate the effects of impending floods
Mr Ahmed made the call in his comments at the Nigeria’s Governor’s Forum conference which held on Tuesday, July 11in Abuja.
Speaking at the event, the DG said, “I humbly seek the cooperation of the executive governors for preparedness for the 2023 flooding season…we seek to collaborate with NGF to establish a robust monitoring and evaluation framework which will enable NEMA and the NGF to track progress, assess the effectiveness of flood preparedness initiatives, and identify areas for improvement. Regular feedback and joint evaluation exercises will support evidence-based decision-making and promote accountability in disaster management efforts.”
Continuing, the NEMA boss referenced the country’s triple response structure for disaster and emergency management. “As we know disasters are local and to enhance our disaster management capabilities, it is imperative that State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) are fully operationalised and Local Management Committees (LMCs) are activated. These bodies will play a crucial role in ensuring effective disaster response at the state and local levels.”
Highlighting ongoing proactive efforts by NEMA to mitigate disasters in the country, the DG told the governors that the Federal Government, with the support of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), has developed a National Plan of Action for the implementation of disaster risk reduction, known as the Sendai Framework (2015-2030).
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Ahmed seized the opportunity of the conference to highlight NEMA’s milestones since its creation, especially in the past decade when the country had been beset with numerous significant disasters, including major floods, droughts, and outbreaks of diseases all of which have led to considerable loss of life, extensive damage to infrastructure, and substantial economic costs. These disasters, he noted, underline the imperative of proactively addressing the issue of flood preparedness.
The DG also noted that the nation was hit in 2022 with the worst floods in the history of Nigeria. The impact was widespread and affected 29 of the country’s 36 states, damaged homes, and infrastructure, destroyed farmlands, and displaced people from their communities.
Figures from The Nigerian Red Cross confirmed that at least 2.8 million people were affected, with 603 fatalities and more than 2,500 injured.
Ahmed noted that partnership with the state governors will provide a platform for facilitating the sharing of “best practices and lessons learned among the states. We can facilitate discussions, workshops, and peer-to-peer learning sessions where states can share their successful initiatives in disaster risk reduction and resilience. This knowledge exchange will help expedite the adoption of effective strategies across the country.”
