The Federal Capital Territory Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), has reiterated commitment to mitigate threats posed by flood which, from the global impact of Climate Change was expected to increase.
The Director-General of FEMA, Dr Abbas Idriss, made the assurance during the 2023 joint tour of flood prone areas, held at Apo-Dutse, Gudu District of the territory, on Wednesday in Abuja.
Idriss noted that the tour was a preparedness and awareness measures in view of the 2023 rainy season, adding that the importance of the exercise couldn’t be over-emphasized.
He said, that flood remains the greatest threat to lives and property- including food security when farm lands are washed away.
The 2023 Nigerian Meteorological Agency Seasonal Climate Prediction and Nigerian Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) Annual Flood Outlook have multi-sectoral implications in the FCT- including disaster management.
“My conviction on our ability to keep lives and property safe from the threats of flood stems from the commitment and support given by the FCT Minster, Muhammad Bello, which has seen many structures standing on water ways and flood plains being demolished in a bit to restore the FCT Master Plan, which has suffered gross violations over the years.
“I belief the architects of the Abuja Master Plan envisaged the global threats that weather and climatic elements pose to cities and took that into consideration in their design in order to make the FCT qualify as a safe city over time.
“Therefore, if we succeed in restoring the Master Plan, we would have succeeded in reducing the flood threats facing us by 50 per cent and continue to manage other factors that are not subject to human control as best as possible to stay safe.”
He assured that the agency would continue to expand and deepen flood sensitisation campaign across the FCT through community outreach and the various media platforms using different languages to drive home our early warning and early action messages.
Idriss appreciated the support and increasing participation of communities- driven by traditional rulers and volunteers who are taking greater responsibility for their own safety.
He encouraged communities and all residents to become more aware of what constitutes flood risk and how to reduce their vulnerability, and also be able to respond effectively to avoid loss of lives and property.
He explained that the Emergency Marshalls who are to be drawn from the Six Area Councils would further strengthen the disaster management architecture of the FCT.
He appealed to volunteers to keep an eye on installations such as Flood Warning sign boards that FEMA mounted in flood prone locations for road users to be cautions when they get to such spots.
“These installations, including other facilities provided by Engineering and other Departments are being vandalized by criminal elements, which tends to undermine our collective effort to ensure safety in the FCT.”
Earlier, the Director, Forecasting Response Mitigation of FEMA, Mrs Florence Wenegieme, recalled that in 2022 FCT was the only location in the country that didn’t record any loss of life during flooding.
“And that is why this year again, we want to start on a good footing so that we will be able to save lives and properties in the territory. So it is very important to remove all obstructions on the waterways.
“We will go round at least four different locations within the city centre to carried out a comprehensive inspection of locations where we had flooding last year, especially the new areas we identified in 2022.
“Some of the locations that we will visit today are the Apo Dutse, Carters Court, one of the estate that was heavily flooded in 2022, Damangaza Bridge along Ebeano Supermarket, Gudu and Galadimawa Interchange,” she said.
Also, the Executive Secretary, Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), Shehu Ahmed, described the tour of the flood prone areas as a welcome development, timely and very proactive.
Represented by Mr Chinasaokwu Okolie, the Deputy Director, Department of Engineering Services, FCDA, Ahmed, said flood was cause by the activities of man that temper with the waterways.
“This stakeholders meeting I believe if we are going to listen to ourselves it will go a long way towards getting an early solutions and response to the flooding issues.”
Similarly, the Director, Department of Development Control, FCTA, Mukhtar Galadima, reiterated readiness of the department to continue to demolish all structures built on waterways in the nation’s capital.
