The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has asked governors to use the ecological funds they receive from the federal government to tackle flooding in their states.

Mustapha Ahmed, Director-General, NEMA, said this while briefing journalists after meeting with the Nigeria Governors Forum, on Tuesday in Abuja.

“Each state governments do receive ecological funds, we expect that from whatever they receive, they put aside something to handle disasters in their states, we need to start from somewhere,” Mr Ahmed said.

Speaking further, he said, “We have written twice individually to the states and we decided to come and meet them so that we can agree to work and move on collectively.

“Disaster management is not a one-sided thing, whereby it is only NEMA that will be creating awareness, we expect them to educate and sensitize their people on impending floods.

“We have sent them the vulnerable risk mapping of areas that will be hit by flood disasters, we expect them to sensitize their people to move to high grounds and move from flood prone areas.”

The NEMA DG said it was important to brief the governors on the need to partner with the agency to reduce the risk associated with disasters in their respective states.

According to him, it is necessary for the state governors to see the need to partner and heed all early warning signs given by the agency.

“Disasters as we all know is local, it is important that they have community volunteers, local emergency management committees and state emergency management agencies.

“So that as they come from bottom-up, we will approach it from top-bottom and meet in middle because with partnership, what we lost last year will be reduced to the barest minimum,” he said.

On the outcome of the meeting, he said the governors responded positively and he was optimistic they will provide support.

(NAN)