
NEMA Owerri Operations Office embarked on a 2 day sensitisation and awareness campaign on Flood Preparedness and Proper Waste Management in Imo and Abia States respectively.
The exercise was aimed at educating the general public on the need for proper waste disposal so as to mitigate flooding.
Disaster Management stakeholders on day 1 of the program in the two states carried out street sensitisation at various markets, motor parks and major streets in the state capitals to create awareness on the dangers of flood disasters and the need for proper waste disposal to avert flood disasters especially as the rain will intensify in the coming months.
Day 2 of the program was technical session which involved paper presentations, panel discussions and cascading of 2024 NIMET and NIHSA predictions by highlighting the expected roles of the various tiers of government and the other disaster management stakeholders.
The speech by the Head, NEMA Owerri Operations Office, Mr. Igwe Nnamdi Chukwudi reaffirmed the Director General’s commitment for better service delivery in managing disasters in Nigeria. He highlighted the important of behavioural change towards sustainable Waste management and flood mitigation strategies in the states and in Nigeria generally.
Dr. I. A Kuti, a lecturer at Federal University of Technology, Minna in his lecture titled *” Effective Waste Management: A Solution to Flooding in Imo and Abia State “* highlighted some flood risk reduction measures and ways to conduct flood vulnerability assessment. He calls for continuous engagement with the state and Local Government authorities to encourage greater involvement in disaster management
Present during the workshop were Sole Administrators of various LGAs, NSCDC, SEMA, State Fire Service, Federal Fire Service, Nigeria Red Cross, NGOs, Media, different MDAs, NESREA, Police, FRSC, National Union of Road Transport Workers, etc

