REPORTER: UCHE NDEKE
The Anambra state government says it has put modalities in place in preparedness to eventual flood incidents in the state.
The Deputy Governor of the State , Doctor Onyekachukwu Ibezim gave the assurance at the Government House Awka,during a stakeholders engagement interaction in preparation for flood incident as predicted by NiMET.
According to him, based on past experiences and lessons learned, the government is already on top of the preparation stage involving all the stakeholders across the local government areas prone to flood incidents.
Doctor Ibezim who described flood as a regular emergency that has come to stay, said there was the need for the federal government to build dams and dredge the rivers to reduce the impact of the natural disaster annually.
The Deputy Governor said the Governor Soludo led administration has recorded almost zero when it comes to mortality in flood disaster encouraged emergency workers and stakeholders to always consider their own safety too while trying to rescue others.
Some of the stakeholders including the Chairman of Anambra East local government area, Mr Chinezie Ifeanyi and his Ogbaru counterpart, Mr Kenneth Akwuobi said they have commenced disilting of all the drainage channels in the area and appealed to both the federal and state government to come to their aid by providing necessary logistics that will enable them attend to victims as at when due.
In a remark, the Deputy Director Administration, State Emergency Management Agency, SEMA , Mrs Ndidi Omega called on those living in the riverine areas to be observant and always be ready to move to higher ground whenever the rivers start overflowing.
The Director General National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA Mrs Zubaida Umar expressed confidence that the Awka stakeholders’ engagement will strengthen national preparedness, reduce the impact of recurrent floods, and safeguard livelihoods in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu
Radio Nigeria Correspondent Uche Ndeke reports that representative of various relevant agencies including the Police, Army, NSCDC, Fire service, Ministry of health, Red Cross, and mayors of riverine local government areas were present during the interaction.
