The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has dispatched its technical team to flood affected areas in Kwara and Niger States to inspect the damages and recommend remedies to likely future occurrences.
The Director General of the agency, Air-Vice Marshall Mohammed Audu-Bida (Rtd) has also called on states to encourage their people to move away from vulnerable areas which are not good for habitation because of the recurrence of such natural disasters due to heavy rainfall and over flooding.
Audu-Bida, who was represented by Director of Planning and Forecasting of the agency, Dr. Charles Agbo during a visit to the Deputy Governor of Kwara State after inspecting some of the affected areas, said that the agency was in the state early to examine a similar havoc last month and had made a submission to the government in solving some of the crises.
He pointed out that NEMA would continue to discharge its responsibility in averting such sad development especially in monitoring the state of preparedness of all organizations that may contribute to disaster management and in facilitating the provision of necessary resources for search and rescue and other forms of disasters curtailment activities in response to distress calls.
While commending the efforts of individuals and groups who rendered moral and financial support to the victims immediately after the incidence, he said that such actions is in tune with its volunteerism programmes being put in place in the case of such emergencies. Responding on behalf of the state government, the Deputy Governor of Kwara State, Chief Joel Afolabi Ogundeji commended NEMA for its prompt response to the recent flooding in Ilorin and its environs, adding that the agency promptness and collaboration with the state’s relevant relief organizations ensured timely evacuation of the victims to safety and minimize the level of devastation to lives and properties.
Chief observed that even though human beings have little control of occurrence of natural disaster, precautionary warning and action taken by NEMA in state further reinforced the need for preparedness towards averting such occurrence.
He also appealed to the Federal Government to urgently commence the dredging and channelization of Asa Dam rivers in Ilorin to avert another tragedy.
Recently the team from the National Emergency Management Agency had been inspecting prone-areas and advising relevant authorities on the need to relocate people from such areas. The recent floods in some parts of Kwara and Niger States are as results of heavy down pour which submerged homes and destroyed farmlands.
The flood also flushed away farmlands, fish ponds and other business. In some instances places of worship and businesses were also destroyed.
The Kwara’s incidence cut across six local government areas of the state including Ilorin East, West , and South councils , Offa , Patigi, Lafiaji and Edu local government areas. While in Niger State no fewer than 12 communities have been submerged by the flood following the release of excess water from the Shiroro and Kanji Hydro power stations.
