By Miriam Humbe, Abuja
The Governor of Ekiti State Hon Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji, on behalf of his government, has sought to partner the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) in the management of floods predicted to occur this year, which may affect many Local Government Areas, including parts of Ekiti State.
Governor Oyebanji, who visited the headquarters of NEMA in Abuja on Tuesday, requested the agency to also assist persons affected by various disasters that had occurred recently and destroyed homes and livelihoods in some communities.
Recall that the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) in its 2023 Seasonal Climate Prediction, (SCP), had predicted impending flooding in some parts of the country anticipated to have devastating effects on farming and attendant food shortages.
NiMet’s Director General, Prof. Mansur Matazu said that just as in the previous year 2022, Nigerians should expect floods which were imminent owing to the devastating effects of global climate change.
Matazu said: “Flooding is a natural event, and with the increase in climate change activities, we are going to see more floods.
“Because Climate Change is due to increasing temperature. So, increased temperature means the atmosphere will be more pregnant to contain more water in the form of a water depot.
“And that means more rain and the rain will come in high intensity, but short duration. So the length of the season has been reducing, but the intensity and amount of the rain is increasing.
“So that gives more volume of water within a limited time and that’s what now triggers the flash floods after rainfall in cities and the riverine floods, leading to overflowing of rivers, especially during July to September.
“So, far in the South, generally speaking time around April, May, June, is normally their flash flood season because the season may have commenced.
“But we are working with National Emergency Management Agency and the National Hydrological Services. They also complement our effort by providing flood forecasts around March and April.”
Gov Oyebanji appreciated NEMA for the supports provided on behalf of the Federal Government to persons affected by the 2022 flood, which devastated some communities in the state.
He commended NEMA under the leadership of the Director General, Mustapha Habib Ahmed, for being proactive in the management of disasters in the country.
Governor Oyebanji said that the timely relief intervention by the Agency last year provided the much desired succour to the affected persons.
In view of the flood prediction for this year, the governor said Ekiti State had commenced actions aimed at preventing and mitigating the risk of the flood.
He also invited NEMA’s Director General to visit the state towards strengthening preparations against the predicted flood and management of other disasters in the state.
On the request for relief assistance to persons affected by recent disasters in the state, Governor Oyebanji said the State Government had provided some supports within its limited resources but discovered that these were insufficient, hence the call for further supports from NEMA.
NEMA’s Director General, Mustapha Habib Ahmed, assured that the Agency was willing to partner the Ekiti State in the areas of disaster management.
Ahmed urged the State Government to establish Local Emergency Management Committees (LEMCs) to strengthen grassroots response to disasters.
He commended the governor for steps taken so far on the flood prediction for the year, noting that the governor has demonstrated positive response desired to reduce anticipated flood risk.
The Director General NEMA highlighted the significance of capacity building of human resources for efficient disaster management, as the Agency recently facilitated an international executive course in partnership with Bournemouth University, bringing together Nigerian stakeholders including SEMA that were trained in Abuja.
The governor was received by the director general, Directors and senior management staff at the agency’s conference hall.
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