The Director General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mrs. Zubaida Umar, has reaffirmed the federal government’s commitment to providing support to Anambra State and other flood-prone states. This assurance was made during her visit to Governor Chukwuma Soludo at the Government House in Awka, marking the start of the 2024 flood early warning strategy downscaling exercise.
Mrs. Umar highlighted the significant impact of flood disasters on Nigeria, noting the importance of early warning systems in disaster preparedness, response, mitigation, and recovery. She emphasized that the effectiveness of early warnings depends on community compliance with alerts, which can save lives and reduce property damage.
During her address, Mrs. Umar advocated for the establishment of Local Emergency Management Committees (LEMCs) in every Local Government Area. She suggested these committees should have predictable funding and work in collaboration with traditional institutions and community volunteers to manage disasters. Additionally, she stressed the importance of providing immediate support to disaster victims before external assistance arrives.
Mrs. Umar praised the Soludo administration for its focus on disaster risk reduction and sustainable development in Anambra State. She expressed hope for a strengthened relationship between the state government and NEMA for the benefit of residents.
In response, Governor Soludo, represented by his Deputy, Dr. Onyekachukwu Ibezim, thanked the federal government and NEMA for their interventions and assistance during floods and other emergencies. He expressed optimism for continued support from NEMA and detailed the state’s ongoing efforts to control flood disasters. These efforts include proper waterway channeling, community sensitization on environmental friendliness, and various other environmental interventions.
The Executive Secretary of the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Mr. Paul Odenigbo, and the Chief of Staff to Governor Soludo, Mr. Ernest Ezeajughi, also expressed gratitude to Mrs. Umar and her team for choosing Anambra State for the flag-off exercise. They appealed to Mrs. Umar to convey the state’s request for a lasting solution to flood disasters to the presidency.
