DTSG To Partner NEMA To Mitigate Effect Of Flooding

By Oghenero Orovwuje
The Delta State Government has reiterated it’s commitment to collaborate with the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to mitigate the effect of the 2020 impending flood in the flood prone areas of the State.

The Secretary to the State Government (SSG) Mr Chiedu Ebie made this known when officials of NEMA visited him today in his office.

The SSG said the State Government would adopt a different strategy in catering for displaced persons that might be affected by the flood this year as a result of COVID-19 pandemic.

He emphasized that focus would be more on sensitizing the people on the effects of the flood through advocacy and noted that there would be no camp for displaced persons to avoid the spread of Coronavirus, while appealing to persons living in areas that have been identified to be impacted to relocate to safer grounds.

Mr Ebie said that the State government had taken proactive steps by setting up a 10-man 2020 Flood Management Committee which has started to liaise with Local Government Chairmen of the affected communities in other to identify places of relative safety in their communities.

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He equally stated that the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) 2020 Annual flood outlook for Delta State had stated that 18 LGAs would be affected by the flood but the Flood Management Committee identified three other Local Government Areas that were omitted from the NIHSA Report making it 21 LGAs that would be flooded in the State.

The Director General, National Emergency Management Agency, Retired Air Vice Marshal, Muhammadu Mohammed represented by Mrs Fatima Kassim said they were in the State on an advocacy visit on the 2020 flood.

The Director General commended the State Government for taking proactive measures to address the issues of flooding in the State and urged it to carry out more enlightenment campaigns targeting vulnerable communities to prepare for evacuation to safe grounds.

He equally urged the State Government to de-silt river channels, canals and drainages to allow free flow of flood water.