The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) on Wednesday engaged stakeholders and members of the Doka community in the Tofa Local Government Area of Kano on flood preparedness and response campaigns, as well as related hazards.

Zubaida Umar, the director-general of NEMA, disclosed this during the agency’s Stakeholders’ Engagement on the 2025 National Preparedness and Response Campaign on the menace.

The event, themed “Strengthening Resilience, Enhancing Preparedness and Response”, was organised in collaboration with the Kano State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA).

Represented by NEMA Kano territorial coordinator Nuradeen Abdullahi, Ms Umar said the sensitisation aligned with the federal government’s Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu in driving socioeconomic growth and development.

Ms Abdullahi, represented by NEMA Kano Head of Admin and Human Resources, Suleiman Sa’ad-Abubakar, noted that the campaign would significantly reduce the impact of recurring floods and safeguard people’s livelihoods.

“NEMA has produced vulnerability maps for all communities at risk to serve as tools to guide governments at all levels in developing risk reduction measures to avert disaster loss.

“Public and private institutions, humanitarian, non-governmental organisations, school children and youth organisations are expected to leverage these early warning tools to support the efforts of NEMA and other government institutions.

“NEMA has also developed disaster mitigation strategies, which include capacity building of local emergency responders, simulation exercises, rainwater harvesting and adherence to predicted rainfall onset before planting for farmers.

“Others are desilting of drainages and natural waterways, integrity tests for critical infrastructure, evacuation plans, community-based information sharing and increased safety and security surveillance in identified vulnerable communities,” Ms Umar said.

The DG highlighted some of the disaster risk management implications, which include the impact on socioeconomic, healthcare, rain-fed agriculture, transportation, energy, telecommunication, education, and security, among others.

She called on traditional institutions, religious organisations, women, media and youth groups to support the agency in taking early warning messages to the people to safeguard against danger during the rainy season.

Faruk Umar-Ibrahim, Secretary to the State Government, said that the Kano Central Senatorial District may experience a moderate flood, while some local government areas in Kano North may experience a severe spell of drought, based on predictions by relevant bodies.

Represented by the state director general services, Kawu Nasiru, he noted that disasters were all local.

“They happen in particular communities in a particular local government area, and the first life-saving responders are always local before additional support will come from the state capital.

“We must therefore strive to support our local emergency management communities (LEMC), with adequate capacity building, funding, and equipment to take disaster risk management to the communities,” he said.

He commended NEMA, SEMA, and other stakeholders for their collaborative efforts.

Earlier, the executive secretary of Kano SEMA, Isyaku Abdullahi-Kubarachi, noted that Governor Abba Yusuf had directed the clearing of drainages in the Kano metropolis and instructed local government chairs to take similar actions.

(NAN)