2023: NEMA, NiMet Prepare to Combat Impending Flood 

The management of the National Emergency Management Agency, Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency and Nigerian Meteorological Services Agency have undertaken measures to help combat impending floods that are forecast to occur this year.

Parties in the two-day meeting, ongoing in Abuja, said the experts’ technical programme would develop preparedness and mitigation strategies to address climate-related disasters for the 2023 rainy season.

“The strategic plan we intend to develop is predicated on the 2023 Seasonal Climate Prediction released by NiMet on January 24, 2023, and Annual Flood Outlook released by NIHSA on February 17, 2023,” the Director-General, NEMA, Mustapha Ahmed, stated.

In February, the Federal Government announced that a total of 178 Local Government Areas in 32 states and the Federal Capital Territory were at risk of high floods this year.

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It disclosed this while providing the general highlights of the 2023 Annual Flood Outlook put together by the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency, and presented to the public by the Minister of Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu.

Speaking at the two-day technical expert meeting on 2023 climate-related disaster preparedness and mitigation strategies in Abuja on Wednesday, Ahmed said NiMet and NIHSA had ensured the timely release of this year’s predictions.

This, he said, would inspire early action against climate risks in the numerous vulnerable communities across the country.

“There is no doubt that today’s meeting has become more relevant and timely in consideration of our recent experiences of widespread floods and related disasters that have affected several states of Nigeria.

“The 2022 flood disaster which is unprecedented in the history of Nigeria has wreaked havoc in all the states of the country. Many of the affected communities are still yet to recover from the impacts of the devastating event.

On his part, the Director-General, NIHSA, Clement Nze, said the agencies were not happy with the negligence by states in implementing the measures proffered by the Federal Government to mitigate the impact of floods in their domains.