The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has stepped up flood preparedness measures in communities along the River Niger following alerts of rising water levels in the upstream areas of the river in the Republic of Benin.
The head of the agency’s Media and Public Relations Unit, Manzo Ezekiel, disclosed this in a statement on Friday in Abuja. In a directive to NEMA’s operational offices, the Director General, Mrs. Zubaida Umar, ordered intensified advocacy and community sensitization on flood risks. She advised residents in flood-prone areas, particularly in Kebbi, Niger, and Kwara States, to remain vigilant and relocate to safer, higher grounds to avert possible disaster.
Mrs. Umar also urged State Governments in the high-risk zones to strengthen support for their State Emergency Management Agencies (SEMAs) and Local Emergency Management Committees (LEMCs) by activating contingency plans to mitigate the impact of potential flooding.
Reaffirming the agency’s commitment, the DG stressed that NEMA would continue to coordinate proactive actions to safeguard lives and livelihoods along the River Niger.
