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Tag: NEMA

  • Cholera, measles imminent in flood-ravaged areas – NEMA

    The National Emergency Management Agency has raised the alarm over a possible outbreak of epidemics in flood-ravaged states in the country.

    NEMA Coordinator, Abuja Operations Office, Ishaya Chonoko, listed the water borne diseases that could infect the people as cholera, Lassa fever, measles and other skin diseases.

    He spoke on Tuesday in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, at a-two day sensitization and awareness raising programme on cerebro-spinal meningitis and other flood related diseases organized by NEMA for the people of the state.

    He said the agency’s fear was borne out of, “the fact that the flood waters had contaminated other natural sources of water in the various communities.”

    “The usage of this contaminated water by the people for drinking, bathing, washing due to shortage of potable water can lead to outbreaks,” he said.

     

  • ‘Nigeria’s floods killed 363 people, displaced 2.1m’

    Nigeria’s worst flooding in at least half a century has killed 363 people since the start of July and displaced 2.1 million people, the National Emergency Management Agency has said.

    Nigeria often suffers seasonal flash floods after heavy tropical rain, but the sheer scale of the devastation this year has shocked people and images of towns and cities under water have filled TV screens, Reuters says.

    President Goodluck Jonathan last month called the flooding, which has submerged parts of the south, a “national disaster” but said it would not trigger a food crisis.

    NEMA said in a statement on Monday that 7.7 million people had been affected by the flooding between July 1 and October 31.

    It said 363 people had been killed and 18,282 people injured.

    From the swampy oil region in the south to the dusty base of the Sahel further north, Nigeria’s 160 million people are spread across a land mass twice the size of California.

    Flooding in the oil rich Niger Delta, where Africa’s third longest river flows into the Atlantic ocean, has disrupted oil production to the tune of around 500,000 barrels per day (bpd) – more than a fifth of Nigeria’s output – according to the Department of Petroleum Resources.

    A cocoa industry body said last month that cocoa output would fall far short of a 300,000 tonne target because of excessive rain.

     

     

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  • Auto crash: NEMA recovers more bodies from river

    The National Emergency Management Agency announced on Tuesday it had recovered five more bodies from the commuter bus that plunged into the river on Ijebu-Ode-Ore expressway on October 19.

    Briefing journalists in Abeokuta, NEMA Public Relations Officer Ibrahim Farinloye, said so far, 18 bodies had been recovered, while three passengers survived.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that 12 bodies had earlier been recovered when the 36-seater bus was conveying 21 passengers on the fateful day.

    “All the remaining five bodies have been discovered this morning, bringing the total to 21 as Madam Christina Umwena, a survivor, revealed that 21 people were on board.

    “Families of the victims have been collecting the remains of their relations at the Ijebu-Ode General Hospital,” Farinloye said.

     

  • NEMA receives 242 Nigerian returnees from Gabon

    The National Emergency Management Agency South-south zonal coordinator, Mr. Umesi Emenike, on Monday received 242 Nigerian returnees from the Republic of Gabon.

    Speaking while receiving the returnees, Emenike said the returnees voluntarily decided to return home after years of sojourn in that country.

    He noted that it was the constitutional mandate of NEMA to “facilitate such nostalgic operation’’ which, according to him, is a demonstration of patriotism.

    Emenike explained that the returnees were not repatriated as could be misconceived, but decided to come home after discovering that Gabon was no longer conducive for their businesses.

    “Let no one misinterpret this return as repatriation; they were not repatriated but they felt things were not working well there.

    “They decided to return home where they would be proud to thrive under any condition because it is their own country,’’ the News Agency of Nigeria quoted the NEMA coordinator as saying at the event.

    Emenike confirmed that some of the returnees had been confronted with harsh economic situations and poverty in Gabon, hence they boldly agreed to come home as an escape from hardship.

    The zonal coordinator, who disclosed that many of the returnees were from Bayelsa, assured them of adequate care.

    He added that they comprised of 80 per cent children and an octogenarian.

    One of the returnees, Mr. Layefa Torubeli, who went to Gabon in 1964, said the returnees were subjected to harsh economic situations that compelled them to reason that coming home was the best option.

     

  • NEMA distributes relief materials

    NEMA distributes relief materials

    The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) yesterday began the distribution of relief materials to flood victims in 14 local government areas of Niger State.

    An official of the agency said the gesture is to cushion the effect of the flood.

    He added that the materials would alleviate the condition of the people.

    The items distributed include mattresses, nylon mats, buckets, mosquito nets, blankets, bags of rice, guinea corn, maize, millets and sugar, cartons of soap, powdered milk, beverages, noddles, water, palm oil and clothing materials.

    Handing over the materials to Sani Kutigi, a member of the House of Representatives, the Director-General of the agency, Alhaji Mohammed Sani Sidi, said they were donated to cushion the effect of the flood.

     

  • Boats deployed to rescue trapped flood victims in Kogi

    Boats deployed to rescue trapped flood victims in Kogi

    The Nigeria Red Cross Society said on Sunday that it had deployed three boats three boats to the riverine areas of Ibaji Local Government Council of Kogi, to rescue trapped flood victims taking refuge on tree tops.

    Mr Mustafa Allah-Dey, the Chairman of the state branch of the Society, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lokoja that the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) released the boats for the rescue operation.

    Nustafa said that men of the Nigerian Navy and officials of NEMA, SEMA and the state Ministry of Environment were also involved in the operation, adding that many of the victims were said to be in life threatening situations.

    He said that the people should be blamed for their present predicament, adding that they failed to heed several warnings to quit their houses to avoid being trapped.

    The chairman said that he did not have the figure of exact number of people trapped and that no report of casualties been received as at the time of this report.

    He only described the situation in Ibaji as “very terrible”.

    Meanwhile, the traffic gridlock on Lokoja-Abuja road has become more chaotic with vehicles forming long queues on both sides of the road.

    The queue at the Lokoja end of the road has extended to Obajana village, about 15 kms drive to the Lokoja city centre.

    Mr Isaac Martins, the Head of operations of the State Sector Command of the FRSC, who confirmed this to NAN, said that there was not much the commission could do to help the situation.

    He said the problem was particularly with the small cars, adding that it takes officials and youths assisting them an average of 20 minutes to help a car out of the water.

    “ Vehicles are moving but they are moving slowly, that is just the situation at hand now,’’ Martins said.

    He appealed to motorists to make use of alternative roads pending the time the flood would be over. (NAN)

  • NEMA seeks wrecks removal

    The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has reiterated the need to remove wrecked ships from the Nigerian coastlines as a precautionary measure against maritime disaster.

    Its Director of Planning and Research and Forecasting, Dr Charles Agbo, gave the advice while inspecting the Kuramo Beach after the ocean surge in Lagos that claimed many lives.

    Agbo said the Federal Government was committed to preventing maritime disaster at all cost.

    According to him, the first step towards that is to ensure the removal of all wrecked ships from the coastal areas.

    The director said, “The Federal Government has ordered the removal of all wrecked ships in the Nigeria coastal area.

    “That order will be enforced to reduce ocean surge and we urge everyone to comply.”

    Agbo also said there were many wrecked ships on the coastline, especially at the Oniru Beach.

    “We are at the peak period of rainfall and anything that can cause disaster should be avoided.

    “There will be more assessment of the coastal areas from time to time, to stem the incidence of rising ocean tide,’’ he said.

    He advised all those involved in maritime activities to be very observant and careful to prevent further disaster.