Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has stated that his administration is committed to mitigating the effects of flood disasters within the State.
Otti made these remarks during a stakeholders’ meeting organised by the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) in Umuahia.
He highlighted that initiatives such as road construction, drainage systems, clearing blocked gutters, and erosion control are among the strategies being implemented to avert flood disasters in Abia.
The Governor, who was represented at the meeting by the Commissioner for Environment, Philemon Ogbonna, emphasised the significance of disseminating early warning messages to the public as a crucial step in reducing the severe impacts of flood events in the State.
He urged the attendees to share the information and insights gained with citizens at the community level, noting that the meeting was timely in light of flood disaster forecasts from relevant Federal government agencies.
Additionally, he mentioned that the meeting would contribute to enhancing the resilience of citizens in the face of potential flood disasters.
The Director General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Zubaida Umar, who was represented by a Director from the agency, Walter Brandon, stated that NEMA has formulated disaster mitigation strategies, which include training local emergency responders and implementing rainwater harvesting initiatives.
In his welcoming remarks, the Executive Secretary of the State Emergency Management Agency, Sunny Jackson, indicated that the meeting would lay the groundwork for actions aimed at minimizing the effects of anticipated flood disasters as predicted.