From Afolabi Afolabi, Ado-Ekiti
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), in collaboration with Ekiti State Government, has embarked on a sensitisation programme to raise public awareness on proper waste management and anticipated heavy rainfall, as well as flooding.
Director-General of NEMA, Zubaida Umar, in her address during the one-day sensitisation programme held in Ado-Ekiti, at the weekend, said that proper waste disposal and flood preparedness are crucial for community well-being and environmental health.
Umar, who was represented by the agency’s Head of Operations in Ekiti and Ondo states, Kofoworola Soleye, noted that improper waste disposal could trigger flood disaster, as well as have adverse health consequences, which usually lead to significant damage to property and loss of life.
Besides, the director-general said that this could be mitigated if all stakeholders stand-up to the challenges and come up with the measures that would help to enlighten the people of Ekiti State on proper waste management, as many have cultivated the habit of indiscriminate dumping of refuse over the years.
She suggested that the initiative was to sensitise and create awareness among Ekiti residents on the expected heavy rainfalls predicted by the Seasonal Climate Predictions (SCP), Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) and the Annual Flood Outlook (AFO) which listed Ekiti State among those that would likely experience heavy rainfall and potential flooding this year.
Umar, while commending the commitment of the State Emergency Management Agency and other disaster management agencies in the state for their efforts, pledged the willingness of the agency to sustain the synergy with Ekiti State government to explore long-term and more sustainable solutions to both natural and human-induced disasters.
In his goodwill message, the Deputy Governor, Monisade Afuye, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Office of the Deputy Governor, Abayomi Opeyemi, urged residents of the state to strictly adhere to the state’s environmental laws by avoiding indiscriminate dumping of wastes and erecting structures on river banks and flood plains.
Also speaking, General Manager of SEMA, Oludare Asaolu, appreciated NEMA for the initiatives and collaborative efforts to once again avert flooding and the attendant destruction of lives and property in the state this year following NiMet’s advice.
He commended the state governor, Biodun Oyebanji, for approving funds for the dredging of waterways in high-risk zones across the state to prevent flooding and its attendant risks to life and property.
Asaolu noted that the governor’s proactive steps in 2023 prevented massive flooding in the state in spite of the heavy rainfall.
