Nigeria: Enugu State Government Sets Up Stakeholders Taskforce on Flood Management

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The Enugu State Government has set up a Technical Committee on Flood management. The event which took place at the Conference Hall Government House Enugu had in attendance members from National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Enugu State Emergency Management Agency (ENSEMA), Enugu State Waste Management Authority (ESWAMA), Enugu State Ministry of Health, Enugu Capital Territory Development Authority (ECTDA), Ministry of Works and Infrastructure, the Nigerian Red Cross Society, Town Planning Authority, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the Chairmen of the 17 Local Government Areas of the State.

The Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Prof. Chidiebere Onyia who represented the Enugu State Government in his opening address charged the Committee membrs to focus more on proactive approach to flood management such as identification and pulling down of structures on waterways, adherence to building codes, opening of waterways that are either silted or filled with gabbages, expansion of waterways that are narrow, identification of safe grounds/camp for IDPs, sanctioning defaulters who dump wastes in waterways or unauthorized areas and/or deliberately obstruction of canals etc.

He noted that the State Governor, Dr. Peter Mbah is concerned about lives and property of the citizens hence sequel to the 2023 NIMET/NIHSA predictions has called for the constitution of this taskforce to help prevent/mitigate flood disaster in the state.

He therefore charged the Committee to swing into action immediately and not only to forestall the occurrence of 2023 flood disaster but to also draw up a sustainable plan on strategic management of future flood disaster .

During the meeting, flood prone areas and the role of Technical Committee were identified.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Nigeria.