Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has produced vulnerability maps to guide communities across the country as part of its ongoing campaign against flood disasters and related hazards.
The Director-General of the agency, Zubaida Umar, announced this during a stakeholders’ engagement and the flag-off of this year’s National Preparedness Campaign against flood disasters yesterday, held in Bauchi.
Represented by the Northeast Zonal Director Suleiman Abdullahi, the director-general highlighted the recurrent impacts of flooding, including loss of lives, disruption of public and private infrastructure,e as well as displacement of residents across the country, emphasizing the need for urgent and collective action.
According to her, the 2016 seasonal climate prediction released by the Nigeria Meteorological Agency, NiMET, and other relevant bodies, fourteen states and 132 local government areas fall within high-risk flood zones.
The state Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, Hajiya Amina Katagum, called on civil society organisations, traditional and religious leaders,s to mobilise communities to participate in disaster preparedness activities.
While commending NEMA for organizing the programme, the commissioner urged residents in flood-prone areas to avoid building on waterways and maintain proper sanitation around their surroundings to ensure their safety.
