The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has urged residents of Sokoto state to take steps towards reducing the impact of flooding in the state.

Tukur Abubakar, the head, planning, research and forecast, Sokoto operational office, said at a sensitisation campaign in Sokoto on Friday that proper waste management was critical flood prevention.

He said that the campaign exercise followed the 2024 flood outlook in the country as predicted by the Nigerian Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA).

It would be recalled that NIHSA, in its 2024 flood outlook, predicted flooding in some parts of the state.

Mr Abubakar said that flooding in metropolitan cities was mainly caused by improper management of waste.

“We should all continue to ensure proper waste management to allow water to flow freely without blocking the drains.

“Environment-friendly habits will help to protect and reduce the risk of flooding in our communities,” he said.

The NEMA official said that the agency was committed to tackling flooding across the country, saying, “that is the reason we are engaging stakeholders to take the right steps.

Earlier, the ward head of Kanwuri community, Sokoto North Local Government Area, Sanusi Muhammad, commended NEMA for organising the sensitisation campaign.

Mr Muhammad said that communities in the area would take the lessons from the programme seriously in the interest of their environment.

“We shall remain vigilant; we shall sustain our commitment to ensuring proper waste management culture,” he said.

(NAN)