The Director General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mr Muhammadu Muhammed, has alerted Ekiti State to step up early response towards averting and mitigating flooding.
The NEMA DG made the remarks when he led a delegation to the Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, on Wednesday in Ado-Ekiti.
He said the prediction of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency(NiMET) that the state will experience flooding between August and October this year due to heavy rains should not be taken lightly considering the negative impact it would have on people and the economy.
Muhammed, represented by the Assistant Director, Planning, Research and Forecasting, Mr Jacob Ajiboye, said the essence of the visit was to ensure that people, especially in the predicted highly flood risk council areas of Ado-Ekiti, Ijero and Irepodun/Ifelodun, are well sensitized to “undertake mitigation actions and evacuation to safe ground.”
The DG who also addressed a stakeholders meeting said, ” It is our responsibility as government and people to evolve strategies to minimize losses through adherence to warning alerts, early preparation and proper response.
” Unfortunately, the predicted floods have started to occur in many parts of the country and it is therefore imperative for Ekiti State to activate all plans and measures against the prediction of NiMET as the season moves towards the peak.”
Receiving the NEMA delegation on behalf of the government, the Director General, Office of Transformation, Strategy and Delivery, Prof. Bolaji Aluko, revealed that the state government has put in place important measures in averting flooding, adding that the state was proactive and could not afford to experience a similar situation to the 2019 incidents.
Aluko said the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) has identified all flood-prone areas across 16 local government areas of the state, adding that the government would make available all that is needed by the agency in achieving the desired results aimed at averting the looming disaster.
He said, ” I want to believe that it is because of the climatic change that we are having these issues but I can say as a government, we are doing better now not to experience what happened last year in Ekiti.”
Aluko who commended the delegation for their interest and commitment in ensuring the people of the state do not experience flood, assured them that the government would engage residents on the need to support all efforts at preventing and mitigating the effect.
NEMA Head of Operations for Ekiti, Ondo and Osun states, Mr Olusegun Afolayan, advised the state government to begin the process of clearing and dredging of canals and waterways across the state to allow free flow of erosion.
Folayan noted that people of the state must be adequately sensitized on dangers of dumping waste on waterways and public places, saying everything must be done to avert and mitigate flooding in the predicted local government areas and state at large.