Metro

NEMA calls for proactive communities’ involvement in flood mitigation in South-East

Published

2 months ago

July 26, 2023

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has called for proactive communities’ involvement in mitigating flood disaster in the South-East as communities remained critical stakeholders in checking flood disasters and losses.

The Zonal Coordinator of NEMA South-East, Mrs Ngozi Echeazu, made the call while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Enugu on Wednesday on proactive steps taken by the agency before now.

NAN recalls that the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMET) and the Nigerian Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) have released the 2023 Seasonal Climate Prediction (SCP) and Annual Flood Outlook (AFO).

The agencies had given breakdown of high flood risk and moderate flood risk local government areas in the country as well as handed down warning of a possible high-level of flooding in the country.

Echeazu said that one of the major trusts of the Agency’s proactive measures was to work with communities in council areas to ensure that they keyed into the proactive measures already outlined in NEMA’s sensitisations.

According to her, there is a need for community members to work with the Local Emergency Management Committees (LEMCs), State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) and state government taskforce on flood mitigation, to put proactive response work-plan.

She said, “It is imperative at this age and stage of our proactive approach to flood and other disaster management to strengthen community-based actions against flooding and other disasters.

“NEMA, through a series of meetings and sensitisation, which serves as proactive measures, has continued to build community education, capacity and resilience on flood mitigation efforts this year.

“These efforts included timely (proactive) opening of blocked waterways, removing structures/buildings on flood plains, expanding narrow waterways and organising periodic meetings at the community-level to discuss emergency plans and share responsibility among themselves.”

The coordinator said that before now, the agency had engaged in identification and update of information on communities prone to flood disaster in the zone.

She said that earlier this year, the agency had written to the state governments, informing them of the 2023 Seasonal Climate Prediction and Annual Flood Outlook by NiMET and NIHSA.

Echeazu said that since May, NEMA had engaged residents of the zone through mass media interviews and programmes on the importance of proactive approach and disaster risk reduction measures on flood incidents.

“These measures include building community capacity/resilience, opening blocked waterways, removing structures/buildings on flood plains, expanding narrow waterways, organising stakeholders meetings and early harvesting of crops.

“The agency has equally produced TV jingles which have been on air for some months and have produced/disseminated the climate-related disaster preparedness and mitigation strategies of 2023 via mass media,” the coordinator said.

She revealed that council areas with communities that are at high risk of flood disaster such as Ogbaru, Anambra West, Anambra East and Ayamelum among others in Anambra, had temporal camps (i.e. IDP camps) where the affected were kept until the flooding subsided.

“Once camps are activated due to flood, the local government authority (LEMC) state (SEMA), Federal Government (NEMA) and other relevant stakeholders step in to assist the displaced persons with provision of relief and non-relief materials, free medication, security, clean water, sanitation and hygiene.

“The emergency/exigency plan for the camps also involves evacuation plans for persons/communities adversely affected as well as coordination and management of activities in the camps.

“NEMA carries out this emergency plan with other relevant stakeholders which is aimed at timely/seamless intervention in the event of an emergency/disaster occurrence.

“Resources, logistics, teamwork and expertise are usually pulled together from the relevant stakeholders to ensure effective and efficient management of flood incidents and reduce its impact on the people,” she said.

Echeazu added that as part of NEMA’s preparedness, the agency had commenced stockpiling of relief materials (food and non-food materials) in NEMA warehouses to ensure timely intervention whenever and wherever the need arose.

Headline

Stakeholders appeal for justice in Ogoniland

Published

1 day ago

September 24, 2023

Desmond Ukafor

Stakeholders in the environment sector on Sunday in Abuja appealed for justice in Ogoniland to alleviate the plight of the people of the area.

Mr Michael David, the Executive Secretary of Global Initiative for Food Security and Ecosystem Preservation (GIFSEP), an NGO said this at a workshop on Strengthening Capacity for Afrika Vuka Volunteers in Nigeria.

This is a build up to power up global day of action #PowerUpOgoni.

The Power up for Climate Solutions action would take place by Nov. 2 to Nov. 4.

“We are to promote the injustices happening in Ogoniland. I have been there, I can feel what the people of Ogoniland are passing through.

“Their water and farmlands are covered with oil, it is very sad. This should not be happening.

“I’m not sure we can proclaim the land in Ogoni, the level of pollution is indescribable,” David said.

He assured that the actions revealing the injustices in Ogoniland would be carried out in Ogoni and Abuja.

“We want to call the world’s attention to what is happening in Ogoniland.
They can’t farm, fish or drink clean and safe water,” David said.

He said that Karen community in Ogoniland never knew what electricity is like since existence.

“We shall carry out the action in Karen community in Ogoniland where we shall provide street lights for the market women only.

“We want to do a massive photo exhibition in Abuja of all the injustices in Ogoniland from 2018 till Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) came into inception.

“Vuka is a Zulu word from South Africa and it means rise up or in Swahili it means awaken so the 350Africa.org came up with this campaign to say Africa wake up. We also intend to have a group tagged Nigeria wake up,” David said.

He appealed to stakeholders that are into climate advocacy to partner to fight against climate injustices in the country and also appealed for increased budgetary provisions for key agencies in the fight against climate injustices.

NAN reports that 350Africa.org is a group campaigning against fossil fuels, and the promotion of renewable energy and has also been in partnership with GIFSEP to build up global day of action #PowerUpOgoni.

Rukiya Khamis, a representative from 350Africa.org said that the group is a platform for climate advocacy and justice and urged stakeholders to take the message #PowerUpOgoni across the world.

Khamis said that the group uses grassroots organising to run locally-driven campaigns in every corner of the globe.

“The climate crisis is about power — but not just the kind of power that keeps the lights on.

“We believe that the only way we’ll see meaningful action on climate change is if we can counter the power of the fossil fuel industry with the power of people taking collective action.

“We use online tools to connect that power, help those people see themselves as one movement, and to facilitate public actions,” she said.
(NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

AIJ/ORO
========
Edited by Razak Owolabi

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Headline

LASTMA, others combat Ilupeju industrial fire outbreak

Published

2 days ago

September 23, 2023

Ifunaya Emeka

The operatives of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) and other emergency responders at early hour on Saturday combated an industrial fire outbreak at Mega Plastics Company at No.4, Ilupeju Bypass.

Mr Taofiq Adebayo, the Director, Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department of LASTMA, made the disclosure in a statement in Lagos on Saturday.

Adebayo stated that the industrial fire outbreak took place at Mega Plastics Company at No.4, Ilupeju Bypass beside Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Ilupeju area of Lagos.

“The Traffic Officer of LASTMA, Mr Ayo Olaosebikan (Falcon) of Zone 21, confirmed that LASTMA rescue team arrived at the scene of the industrial fire outbreak around at 6:30a.m. before other emergency responders were contacted by LASTMA.

“Immediately we arrived at the scene of the industrial fire, we quickly informed other emergency responders particularly the Lagos State Fire, Rescue Services and the Nigerian Police.

“The causes of industrial fire could not be immediately ascertained, he said.
Olaosebikan noted that preliminary investigation revealed that the storage and factory section of the petrochemical company were seriously affected by the fire outbreak.

According to him, emergency responders on ground include Federal and State Fire Services, policemen and LASTMA Response Unit.

Olaosebikan said that neither injury nor death had been recorded.