Tag: The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA)

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has charged stakeholders to take actions that will reduce the adverse impact of floods during the 2025 rainy season.The Director-General of NEMA, Zubaida Umar, stated this at a stakeholders’ engagement on flood disaster organised by the agency in Yenagoa, Bayelsa Capital.

The Nation gathered that the programme is focused on the 2025 National Preparedness and Response Campaign (NPRC) on flood disaster and related hazards for effective early actions to save lives and livelihoods during the rainy season.

Umar, who was represented by Mr Godwin Tepikor, Director NEMA South-South Directorate, noted that the devastating impact of floods over the years served as a wakeup call to all tiers of governments to collaborate with the agency to manage disaster risks and associated hazards.

According to her: “The devastating impacts of annual floods in Nigeria have served as a wakeup call to all tiers of government, our esteemed partners, the price sector, the media and citizens to collaborate with NEMA.

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“To manage disaster risks and safeguard the resilience of the country. In the recent past, lives have been lost, means of livelihoods and associated hazards.

“Nigerians have equally suffered injuries and lost their life savings due to unmitigated incidences of floods and secondary hazards every year.

“As we can recall, rainfall and flood forecasts contained in the 2025 Seasonal Climate Prediction (SCP) and the 2025 Annual Floods Outlook (AFO) by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) and Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency, have provided us valuable insights into rainfall pattern and flood scenarios during the year.

“In the same vein, NEMA has developed the 2025 Climate Related Risk Management Implications, Preparedness and Mitigative Actions out of the NIMET-NIHSA predictions to serve as a guide to reduce the impacts of flooding during the year,” she said.

She said that out of the eight local governments in the state, seven had been predicted to be affected by flooding during the 2025 rainy season.

Prof. Nimibofa Ayawei, Secretary to the State Government, said when it comes to hydrologic consequences and flood related hazards and disaster, Bayelsa is at the receiving end.

Represented by Mr Felix Asingbi, Permanent Secretary -General Services Office of the SSG, he said Bayelsa is the worst hit, due to the fact of the geographical location of the state.

He urged all stakeholders to play their roles in ensuring that the preparedness and response to flood is hitch free.

Chairman Yenogoa LGA, Mr. Bulodisiye Ndiwari, urged residents to stop dumping refuse into the waterways to avoid flood disasters.

He urged citizens to desist from building on water channels and flood prone areas.

High point of the event was a visit to Tombia Community, in Yenagoa LGA to sensitize them on emergency measures during the flooding.

Fire razed not less than  500 shops at Aleshinloye market in Ibadan Southwest local government area, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) South-West zone has said.

The agency said the efforts to control the fire were hampered by challenges of absence of a functional fire trucks at the market’s fire station as well as an inadequate water supply.

Speaking after conducting an on the spot assessment, the zonal coordinator, Mr Kadiri Olanrewaju, said despite the challenges, the responders,including the State Fire Services, their Sumal and Sweetco counterparts were able to prevent the fire from spreading to the other parts of the markets 

He added the initial assessment of the incident, put the recorded losses at hundred of millions, adding that some of the affected traders took delivery of the plastic wares a day prior to the incident.

The Zonal coordinator maintained that the inferno has disrupted economic activity at the market.

According to him: “No fatalities were recorded. However, several individuals sustained minor injuries from smoke inhalation and shock while attempting to salvage their goods. However, over 500 shops and stalls were destroyed.

“Eyewitness accounts indicate that the fire started in the Plastic Merchants section of the market before rapidly spreading to surrounding stalls due to the highly flammable nature of stored goods.

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“Emergency response teams included the state Fire Service, private fire units from SWEETCO and SUMAL, market security personnel and local volunteers.

“Efforts to control the fire were hampered by challenges such as the absence of a functional fire trucks at the market’s fire station and an inadequate water supply. Despite these setbacks, responders successfully prevented the fire from spreading to other sections of the market.

“To mitigate the risk of future occurrences, NEMA recommends the following, strengthening fire safety measures, equipping market fire stations with functional fire trucks and adequate water supply, conducting regular fire drills and safety training for traders, enhancing emergency response infrastructure, establishing a well-equipped emergency response unit within the market.

“Strengthening partnerships between the Federal and State Governments and private organizations to improve disaster response, supporting affected trader, providing emergency relief packages to help traders recover.”