Umahi, Nigerian Army pledge proactive measures to mitigate flooding in Ebonyi

By Charles Iwuoha

Governor David Umahi has assured the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and residents of Ebonyi State of his government’s readiness to put proactive measures to mitigate the effect of flooding this year.

Umahi gave the assurance in Abakaliki when he received a national delegation of NEMA on Flood Sensitisation and Advocacy Visit to Ebonyi State on Thursday.

The NEMA delegation also paid similar sensitisation and advocacy visits to the Nkwagu Military Cantonment, Abakaliki.

Umahi, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Dr Kenneth Ugbala, said that the state would put proactive measures and tackle any possible flooding with the zeal it tackled COVID-19 pandemic.

The governor, however, lauded NEMA for the visit and numerous assistance of relief materials to communities and residents of the state, especially victims of communal clashes and other natural disasters.

We are highly encouraged by the visit meant to remind us of the need to protect our people and reduce or eliminate any possible loss from the predicted possible flooding this year.

We learnt that communities within eight council areas in the state would be affected; and as a responsible and responsive government we are working hard and will partner with the Agency to see that the impact of flooding is checked.”

Umahi noted that the government cannot appreciate the Federal Government enough in the good and beautiful work’’ it had been doing through NEMA and bringing succour to millions of Nigerians and households in the country.

Speaking, Lt.-Col. Igbinadolor Erhabor, Commander of Nkwagu Military Cantonment, assured NEMA that officers and soldiers of the cantonment are ready to attend to any emergency when called upon.

Erhabor noted that naturally military personnel by training had been prepared for emergency and its attendant risk, addingthe confidence NEMA reposed in the military especially the 24 Support Engineering Regiment is not misplaced’’.

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We are always ready and will respond at any day or hour we are called upon as part of the national Disaster Reaction Units.

We thank the Agency for the singular honour of making us to be a DRU unit,’’ he said. Earlier, the Director-General of NEMA, AVM Muhammadu Muhammed (rtd), said that apart from loss of lives, flooding threatens the food production capacity of the state as its residents are mostly farmers by occupation.

Muhammed, represented by NEMA’s Director of Research and Rescue, Mr Vincent Owan, said that the advocacy was to ensure that the negative effect of flooding would be reduced in the four flood high risk council areas and four flood low risk council areas in the state.