FLOOD: NEMA DEPLOY STAFF FOR COMMUNITY SENSITIZATION ACROSS THE STATES, URGES STATE LEVEL PREPAREDNESS 16-05-25
By Sadiq Aminu In a proactive move to mitigate the impact of anticipated floods during the 2025 rainy season, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has deployed teams across all states in the country to engage directly with communities identified as being at risk of flooding.
These teams will deliver critical early warning messages and disaster preparedness information at the grassroots level.
The Director General of NEMA, Mrs. Zubaida Umar, disclosed this during a stakeholders’ engagement on the 2025 National Preparedness and Response Campaign on Flood Disaster and Related Hazards, held in Abuja.
Mrs. Zubaida Umar also urged State Governments to make adequate preparations and provide safer grounds for those who may be affected by the predicted floods this year.
She said, “beyond today’s stakeholders’ engagement, NEMA is deploying teams to all states of the federation to engage with flood-prone communities. These teams will take early warning messages to the grassroots, with the support of State Emergency Management Agencies, Local Emergency Management Committees, and community volunteers.
“The NEMA Zonal Directorates and Operations Offices across the nation will simultaneously drive this engagement process at both the state and community levels, starting today, Thursday, May 15, 2025.
She emphasized the critical role of traditional institutions, religious organizations, women and youth groups, and the media in ensuring early warning messages reach vulnerable populations.
“As we always emphasize at NEMA, disaster management is everyone’s business. We must work together to deliver early warning messages to the appropriate groups to protect communities at risk, safeguard critical infrastructure, and ensure uninterrupted socio-economic activities across the nation.
“It is my hope that today’s event will contribute significantly to reducing the impact of recurring floods and safeguarding the livelihoods of our people. This is the path to driving socio-economic growth in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Federal Government under President Bola Tinubu’s leadership.”
Mrs. ZUBAIDA UMAR also noted that lessons from 2024 were being applied in 2025, though challenges remain, particularly in coordination at the state and local emergency response levels.
“It is a common notion that whenever there’s a disaster, everyone expects NEMA to be the first responder. That should not be the case. All disasters are local. Communities must be empowered to take charge.
“States must take responsibility and not wait for NEMA to intervene. We’ve produced vulnerability maps for all at-risk communities to guide governments in implementing risk reduction measures.
The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, in a goodwill message delivered by the Director of Humanitarian Affairs, Hajiya Jummai Katagum, commended NEMA for its proactive efforts and affirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to timely disaster management.
Earlier, the Director Disaster Risk Reduction NEMA, Dr Idris Mohammed, stated that floods and other hydrometeorological hazards continue to pose significant threats to Nigeria’s economic, social, and environmental well-being.
He emphasized the need for stakeholders to collaborate on strategies for mitigating disaster risks.
“Our goal is to build a roadmap for risk reduction and national resilience,” he said
Also, an Assistant Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Hammed Abodunrin, emphasized the importance of proactive disaster prevention and community engagement, particularly among students.
He suggested integrating community service, such as environmental sanitation, into academic programs and certificates, noting that this could significantly contribute to disaster reduction, including flooding.