The Sokoto State Government, in collaboration with development partners, has adopted a multi-hazard approach and reinforced preparedness systems to address flood risks across the state.

The Executive Secretary of the Sokoto State Emergency Management Agency, SOSEMA, Prof. Abubakar Junaidu, disclosed this on Thursday at the close of a three-day workshop on emergency preparedness for the 2026 flood season.

Mr Junaidu reaffirmed the government’s commitment to building resilient systems that could protect lives and livelihoods before disasters strike.

He said preparedness, effective coordination, and timely early warning are essential to minimising the impact of emergencies.

The executive secretary urged all stakeholders to sustain collaboration to safeguard vulnerable communities across the state.

In his remarks, the UNICEF Chief of Field Office, Michael Juma, commended the state government for prioritising preparedness.

He stressed the need for coordinated planning, early action, and strong partnerships to reduce humanitarian impacts.

Mr Juma encouraged participants to use the workshop to develop practical and actionable measures that would enhance the state’s capacity to anticipate, prepare for, and respond to emergencies.

He stated? “UNICEF remains committed to supporting government-led efforts to build resilient communities, strengthen national and state preparedness systems, and ensuring that vulnerable populations are better protected before, during, and after emergencies.”

Also speaking, UNICEF Emergency Specialist, Olayinka Afolabi, guided participants through practical approaches to emergency management and preparedness.

He emphasised the need for updated risk assessments, robust early warning systems, clearly defined sector roles, coordinated assessments, logistics readiness, and simulation exercises.

He noted that effective preparedness relied on timely, accurate, and actionable information reaching at-risk communities early enough to enable protective action before disasters worsen.

Tukur Abubakar of the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, provided technical insights on inter-sectoral coordination, national preparedness frameworks, and collaboration among response agencies.

He also led a multi-sector simulation exercise that tested existing emergency plans, coordination structures, communication systems, and decision-making processes under a realistic flood scenario.

The workshop was designed to strengthen flood preparedness, early warning systems, coordination mechanisms, and emergency response arrangements ahead of the 2026 season.

The workshop was supported by UNICEF, and experts jointly assessed disaster risks, reviewed preparedness measures, and improved readiness during the exercise.

Organisers said lessons from the simulation would inform concrete follow-up actions to further strengthen Sokoto’s emergency preparedness and response capacity.

Participants included representatives of government ministries, emergency management agencies, security institutions, humanitarian partners, civil society organisations and community leaders among other stakeholders. 

(NAN)