The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) said it has alerted the state governors of the areas likely to be affected by flooding as rainfall begins.
NEMA advised states and local governments to commence clearing blocked drainage systems to prevent overflow, construct temporary flood barriers to protect homes and infrastructure, and evacuate residents from flood-prone areas to safer grounds.
It also said demolition of structures along waterways in the Federal Capital Territory has begun to prevent loss of lives and properties.
The agency said the advisory and early warning messages to governors and other relevant authorities are sequel to the Seasonal Climate Prediction (SCP) released earlier in the year by the Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NiMet) and the Annual Flood Outlook released by the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA).
The director general of NEMA, Zubaida Umar, disclosed this in Abuja during the launch of the 2025 Climate-Related Disaster Preparedness and Mitigation Strategy document.
She said the document highlights climate-related risk management implications, preparedness, mitigative actions, and periods of action during the year
The key sectors of the economy highlighted in the document are: water resources, agriculture and food security, education, information management, security, telecommunications, power generation & distribution, transportation, health & nutrition, and livestock production sectors.
Speaking on the level of preparedness of the agency to reduce the impact of the predicted flood, Umar said, “The document unveiled is a result of the review of the predictions that we received from NiMet and NIHSA. We came together and held a coordination forum where everybody was assigned roles, and so far, NEMA is out in every state. We are trying to focus on disaster risk reduction. Rather than being reactive, we want to keep being proactive.
“We have written to all state governments to inform them, including maps to show them what is expected in every local government in line with what we have received from NiMet and NIHSA.
“We have also started the campaign of telling people to clear their waterways, and the campaign of asking people to demolish buildings that are on waterways, so that things become easier for everyone. In compliance with the Federal Capital Territory, demolitions have started. All buildings on waterways are being identified, and they are being demolished.
“On the part of the federal government, there was approval for the reconstruction of Alau Dam in Borno State.
“So, we are not just sending letters; we have also gone down to the local governments as well. This time, we want to see that there’s a lot of involvement with the local governments because they’re the first responders, and once we get them kitted and ready, things will be much easier for us. So, NEMA is ready.”
(The Nation)
