The Federal Capital Territory FCT Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has charged residents to prepare for the rains and avoid environmental practices that could lead to flooding in the FCT.
The Agency particularly appealed to residents to desist from acts such as indiscriminate waste disposal into water channels and rivers, building on water ways and river banks as well as diverting water channels to prevent flood disaster.
Director General FEMA, Abass ldris, noted that preparedness and sensitization remains the key towards reducing disaster to the barest minimum in the FCT.
He said FEMA does not rest at the end of any rainy season but always brings its stakeholders together to review and take stock of cause of events, identify gaps and proffer solution for the relevant stakeholders to swing into actions.
Idris revealed that NIMET has predicted that the Northern part of the country should expect rains from May and June this year while the coastal areas expects rain from March 1 but the rains will not last longer in the year.
Preventive measures
The FEMA boss noted that while waiting for Nigerian Hydrological Services Agency detailed outlook on floods for this rainy season, it is important for residents to join hands and complement the efforts of the FCT Administration to prevent flood disasters in the FCT this rainy season as residents have vital role to play as major stake holders in emergency prevention and mitigation.
He equally advised them to always clear their drainages, ensure proper disposal of refuse, avoid building on flood plains and river banks, driving or walking on running waters.
“Everyone is a stakeholder in this disaster prevention efforts and FEMA has created a high level awareness amongst FCT residents through several media platforms to establish the consciousness of disaster prevention and mitigation rather than management.
This yields better result because community participation by residents in disaster management will bring about greater results.
Residents will notice lots of clearing around the city since the last rainy season, removal of illegal structures, desalting of drainages, expansion of narrow drainages, removal of waste from dump sites as well as removal of any obstructed thing that could block water from flowing well. This shows that the FCT Administration is leaving no stone unturned to ensure no life is lost to flooding this rainy season but residents also have a role to play.
If you follow the trend of our response, you will discover that some of the flood issues of 2019 did not reoccur in the same location except new ones that came up in different locations. Such locations like Area one and Lokogoma flood issues were taken care of after identifying the obstacles.
We also mounted reflective flood warning sign posts at the flash points to sensitive and warn residents from driving or walking into running water. Some of our monitoring personnel at all locations are surveying the city for monitoring and reporting situations in and around their areas and report feedbacks from the residents“, he said.
Sensitization
Idris also advised Agricultural and Extension Officers to sensitize farmers on this and provide for them crops that are suitable for the season to avert food insecurity which could also result to serious disaster.
He also commended FEMA trained Vanguards, Volunteers and Local Divers who proactively respond to emergencies, adding that with their help and that of the traditional rulers, FEMA has been able to sensitize the rural communities and reduce severity of disasters tremendously in the FCT.
“We have devised another means of reaching out to the communities this year through the recently launched FCTA Citizens Participation Portal for quicker reach out and prompt response”, he added.
He therefore appealed to all residents that are in distress to call the Toll Free Emergency Number 112 to report any emergency for a quick and prompt response.
Nneka Ukachukwu
