The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has disclosed that eight local government areas of Zamfara are predicted to be affected by moderate flooding in the 2024 rainy season.

The agency’s director-general, Zubaida Umar, disclosed this in Gusau on Thursday at the sensitisation programme for the 2024 down-scaling of flood early warning strategies for early actions.

Ms Umar, represented by the director of ICT, Sani Alhaji-Lokoja, said the affected LGAs include Bungudu, Bakura, Gummi, Gusau, Maradun, Shinkafi, Talata Mafara and Zurmi.

“These LGAs are already listed in the earlier NEMA communication to the state government; this underscores the downscaling and sensitisation programme of the 2024 flood early warning strategies in Zamfara.

“I am therefore calling for support from all stakeholders to cascade this initiative to the grassroots,’’ she explained.

According to the NEMA boss, the agency found it necessary to stress that management of disaster risk in contemporary times hinges on community-wide participation, leaving no one behind.

Ms Umar added, “We must work together to safeguard at-risk communities, protect critical infrastructure and support uninterrupted socio-economic activities in Zamfara.

 “This is the guaranteed path of driving socio-economic growth and development in line with the renewed hope agenda of the federal government under President Bola Tinubu.

“I hope this event will go a long way in reducing the impacts of the annually recurring floods and safeguarding the private and communal livelihoods of the good people of Zamfara.’’

In his remarks, the Secretary to the State Government, Abubakar Nakwada, described the flood as an unfortunate disaster, adding, “I am using this medium to express the readiness of the state government under Governor Dauda Lawal to continue collaborating with NEMA to implement disaster risk management measures in the state.”

Other speakers included the Commissioner for Humanitarian and Relief Matters, Salisu Musa, the Emir of Bungudu, Hassan Attahiru, and the director-general of the State Fire Service, Abdullahi Jibo.

They all pledged their support to the sensitisation programme on early warning actions at the grassroots.

(NAN)