The National Emergency Management Agency has inaugurated the 2025 national preparedness and response campaign on flood disasters and related hazards in Taraba.

The campaign has as its theme “Strengthening Community Resilience for Flood Risk Reduction in Nigeria”.

Director General of NEMA, Zubaida Umar, while inaugurating the campaign in Jalingo in Wednesday, said the initiative focused on proactive community-based disaster risk reduction

Represented by the Deputy Director of Relief and Rehabilitation, Abbani Garki, Ms Umar identified early warning systems for early action as well as coordinated emergency responses.

She noted that the Nigerian Meteorology Agency (NIMET) and the Nigeria Hydrological Service Agency (NIHSA), respectively, had provided NEMA with valuable insights into rainfall patterns and flood scenarios for the year.

She said that this was through the rainfall and flood forecasts contained in the 2025 seasonal climate prediction (SCP) and the 2025 annual flood outlook (AFO).

The director general said that in view of the above, the agency had developed the 2025 Climate-Related Risk Management Implication, Preparedness and Mitigation Actions.

According to her, this will serve as a guide to reduce the impacts of floods during the year.

Ms Umar said that NEMA had also developed disaster mitigation strategies which include capacity building of local emergency responders and simulation exercises.

Others, she said, were rainwater harvesting, adherence to predicted rainfall onset before planting by farmers, irrigation as an alternative source for agriculture, among others.

She called on stakeholders and communities to remain vigilant and actively participate in local preparedness efforts as the 2025 rainy season unfolds.

In her remark, Echuse Audu, Executive Secretary of the Taraba Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), described the stakeholders’ meeting as a strategy in collaboration towards response to flood disaster.

Ms Audu identified logistic challenges as a major problem facing quick response to disasters but added that Governor Agbu Kefas was providing the agency with needed funds in responding to disasters.

According to her, the governor is passionate whenever it comes to saving lives.

Key participants at the meeting include representatives from federal and state agencies, security outfits, and humanitarian organisations, among others. 

 (NAN)