
By Musdapha Ilo, Maiduguri
The National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, on Tuesday called on Nigerians to mobilize against impending floods.
The zonal coordinator of NEMA in the North east, Mohammed Kanar, offered the advice at a pre-flood campaign.
He noted that it was imperative that all the critical stakeholders mobilized towards mitigation campaigns that would reduce the negative impact of flooding in the society.
Kanar said flooding was one of the most common and widespread natural disasters in Nigeria.
“Even very small streams, creeks, culverts, dry stream beds and low-lying ground that do appear harmless can become flooded during the rainy season.”
“This natural disaster can also be brought about by human activities, that is why it is important that the general public should ensure that drainage system and water channels are not clogged with dirt,” he said further.
He described flooding as “an act of God precipitated by the acts of man.”
Kanar said that if not properly managed by people flood could have destructive results at the end and insisted that it was much better to prevent the occurrence of
floods if possible than deal with the consequences.
The NEMA coordinator lamented that flooding had created serious emergencies in several Nigerian communities in the past.
“Farmland and crops have been lost while countless lives of people at the grassroots have also been wasted. This is in addition to creating conditions that have led to the spread of diseases like cholera, typhoid fever and malaria,” he observed.