National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has advised flood-prone communities in Imo and Abia states to immediately set up intervention committees to enable the communities mitigate flooding in 2020.
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Head of Imo/Abia Operations Office of NEMA, Mr Evans Ugoh gave the advice on Thursday in an interview with newsmen as part of measures to mitigate effects of flooding in Imo and Abia states in 2020.
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) had recently predicted early rain in 2020, while Imo and Abia state have been greatly affected by recent flood incidents.
The NEMA official said the advice became necessary based on flood antecedents in the two states and the NIMET prediction.
While assuring that NEMA and other disaster stakeholders would be ready for any emergency, he said everybody must be involved in disaster management.
“Traditional Rulers and other community leaders must brace up to the challenges of flooding and must see themselves as part of disaster stakeholders.
“The traditional rulers should immediately set up intervention committees and the committees will be liaising with NEMA in various communities.’’
Ugoh said the major role of the committee would be to ensure proper waste management system and also to ensure that water was channeled to drainages or river points.
He also said the committee should ensure monthly clean-up exercise and to ensure that environmental impact assessment was carried out regularly.