BY IFEANYI UWAGWU
SEVERAL local government areas in Delta State have been placed on high flooding risk following the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) and Nigerian Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) flooding predictions for the year.
This was made known, yesterday, during a stakeholders engagement between the Delta State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) on National Preparedness and Response Campaign for the year.
The flood-prone areas, according to the prediction include Patani, Ughelli South and Ndokwa East Local Government Areas.
According to the Director-General of the agency, Mrs Zubaida Umar, the engagement was to intimate stakeholders about the warning issued by both NIMET and NIHSA and ensured early action.
The DG, who was represented by the Deputy Director, Special Duties, Dr Thickman Tanimu, said that the warning should be acted upon by the state Government and downscaled to the local government and communities to effective management of flood disasters.
She stated the agency was adopting a three-pronged approach of disaster preparation to ensure risk reduction in terms of impact, early warning and building of resilience in communities; and for the State Emergency Management Agency to conduct multi-sectorial response to disasters. Earlier, the Delta State Commissioner, Bureau for Special Duties, Hon Ejiro Etacherure had commended the team for their visit to Delta and assured them of the state Government’s unwavering commitment to disaster management.
While lauding Governor Oborevwori’s proactive stance in disaster response and building resilience in SEMA, he noted that the Bureau has begun sensitisation drives to inform Deltans living in coastal areas to vacate the areas due to threats posed by the predicted flooding.
The Assistant Director, Disaster Risk Reduction, NEMA, Mrs Chinwe Opara, appealed for sustained funding for SEMA and to strengthen its community liaison desks and to conduct pre-flood simulation exercises.
She also called on the state government to enforce zoning and construction laws that will prevent people from building on natural waterways, while also calling for flood education in schools.
