By Hauwa Bata
In a bid to enhance Nigeria’s flood preparedness and response capabilities, the National Emergency Management Agency NEMA has held a stakeholders engagement on 2025 National Preparedness and Response Campaign (NPRC) on flood and related Hazards in maiduguri, Borno state. The engagement was among other things to strengthen early warning systems by improving the accuracy and dessimination of flood warnings to communities at risk.
In a paper presentation by Dr Tijjani Elbadawy on ” Down scaling of seasonal flood predictions and outlook”, it was predicted that 12 states with 43 LGAs are within the high flood risk areas,while 13 states have been forecasted among the low flood risk areas which Borno falls under with Maiduguri and Biu among the flood prone local government Areas.
Dr Elbadawy recommended federal government to develop a national flood risk communication protocol and partner with media for awareness campaigns on flood preparedness.
In a keynote address, the Director General NEMA Zubaida Umar, represented by the Zonal Director North East Yakubu Suleman said as part of flood early warning system, NEMA has identified disaster risk management implications and mitigation strategies for communication to communities at risk during the rainy season.
She added that beyond stakeholder engagements NEMA is deploying teams to all the states of the federation to communities at risk of flood to interact with people and take the early warning message to the grassroots with the support of SEMAs, LEMCs and community volunteers.
Also the Director General Borno state Emergency Management Agency Alhaji Ali Abdullahi reiterated Borno state government’s preparedness through sensitisation, clearing of structures blocking waterways, dredging, clearing drainages and in addition acquired about 15 thirty seater speed boats with life jackets incase of any flood Emergency.
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