The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has organised a community-based sensitisation on the implications of impending floods in Niger State.

Zainab Sai’du, head of NEMA Minna Operations Office, who spoke at the sensitisation exercise in the Maikunkele community, Bosso Local Government Area, said it was to alert flood-prone communities to enable them to make informed decisions.

Ms Sai’du, represented by Zainab Ndanusa, head, Disaster Risk Reduction Unit in the agency, said the annual flood outlook by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) and Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) had placed Niger State on red alert.

“This is because the state has been identified to be among the highly probably flood-risk state, and the implication is that a huge flood is expected in the state,” she said.

Ms Sai’du said the sensitisation was for people in flood-prone communities to brainstorm and develop measures to prevent and reduce losses and the negative impact of the flood.

Ms Ndanusa, while presenting a paper entitled “A Call for a Community-Based Flood Risk Reduction Against the 2023 Impending Flood”, said the flood would affect urban and rural dwellers who reside along river banks.

She said the flood was predicted in Niger State from August to October.

“It is expedient for traditional and religious heads across the state to key into the risk reduction approach to reduce or mitigate the danger ahead.

“NEMA in Minna calls on these community leaders to identify drainages and culverts that are blocked to be cleared,” Ms Ndanusa said.

District Head of Maikunkele, Abdullahi Dada, thanked the agency for its continuous support to the communities by sending out early warnings for them to prepare ahead of flood to reduce losses.

In his remarks, Yahaya Gbongbo, the state Director of the National Orientation Agency (NOA) in Niger, advised community members always to resolve issues affecting them peacefully.

In their separate remarks, Yusuf Manta and Mohammed Usman, both community members, expressed appreciation to the agency for the early warning signal.

(NAN)