Floods: Soludo makes case for fresh intervention in Anambra state

*Lauds FG, NEMA on quick crisis response

With ten Local Government Areas now under threat by flood, the Anambra state governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, has appealed fresh flood intervention from the National Emergency Management Agency, (NEMA), to tackle the challenge.

Soludo made the appeal while on a courtesy call to the Director General, NEMA, Mr. Mustapha Ahmed at the agency’s national headquarters in Abuja, yesterday.
He said NEMA has played vital role in supporting the state in managing the growing impact and threats by loods hence the appeal for more support even as the water tides are rising in the state.

Represented by the state Deputy Governor, Gilbert Ibezim, he said “It is very important to note that from four local government areas affected initially, it rose to six and now Anambra is having up to ten local government areas out of a total.of twenty-one, that are affected by flooding and that is more than one third of the state.

“Anambra state is often described as the epicenter of erosion in South East Nigeria and this flooding is not helping the matter. Now the arable land that we boast of, the flatlands, are being devastated by the flooding and more needs to be done.

“The State Emergency Management Agency, (SEMA), which the governor, Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo set up energized with me , (the deputy governor), heading the team, had our plans and NEMA came with an early response, providing the technical and material part of the management,” during the last floods.

While commending President Bola Tinubu and NEMA for their proactive intervention to flood issues in the country, governor Soludo appealed for fresh intervention in Anambra state saying “yes like Oliver Twist, we came to encourage the DG NEMA and his team as it is said that the reward for hard work is more work.”

Director General, NEMA, said the agency will surely look into the challenge in Anambra with the aim of preferring solutions to tackle the challenge.
“Your visit to NEMA is a significant moment and a practical display of efforts towards building a strong collaboration between Anambra state and NEMA on disaster risk management and building of community resilience
“This becomes more important in the face of significant disasters and crisis situations in Nigeria just as obtain in several countries of the world.

“Your excellency, we don’t pray for disasters to happen, yet disasters, crisis and emergency situations are part and parcel of societal revolution throughout the history of mankind.
“Most disasters can be averted and mitigated with simple deliberate actions; avoid the dumping of refuse in waterways and drainages in our cities can reduce urban flooding drastically.
“We must rethink our environmental and ecological civilization to avoid potential disasters.
“Urban and regional planning must avoid allocating land and granting building permits along waterways,” among others to reduce floods.

Ahmed expressed NEMA’ commitment to working closely with the state government to ensure the safety and resilience of the state’s communities during the flood season.