The Director-General, National Emergency Management Agency, Mr Mustapha Ahmed, says the agency has identified 233 local government areas in 32 states and the Federal Capital Territory that have been predicted to experience flooding in 2022.
The News Agency of Nigeria quoted Ahmed as disclosing this at a National Consultative Workshop on 2022 Flood Preparedness, Mitigation and Response, organised by the agency, on Tuesday in Abuja.
Although, Ahmed did not list the affected local governments and states, he said the agency has sent advisory letters and maps showing predicted flood risk areas in various states to the respective state governments.
The NEMA boss said the workshop was one of the steps outlined by the agency to bring stakeholders together.
He said it was to collectively prepare and provide strategies to strengthen flood risk mitigation and effective response.
Ahmed said, “This (workshop) followed the 2022 Seasonal Climate Prediction released by Nigerian Meteorological Agency and the Annual Flood Outlook released by Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency.
“Efforts must be made to mitigate and respond effectively to flooding.
We have sent advisory letters and maps showing predicted flood risk areas in various states to the respective state governments.
“We have also produced risk maps for vulnerable local government areas as forecasted by NIHSA’s Annual Flood Outlook.”
He added that state emergency management agencies as well as local emergency management committees must be proactive.
He said this would ensure effective and efficient flood preparedness, mitigation and response.
The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Farouq, called on relevant stakeholders to take proactive measures in addressing floods and its associated impacts. Farouq, who was represented by the ministry’s Deputy Director, Disaster Management, Dr Abubakar Suleiman, added that adequate information must be sent out to the public for effective preparation.