By Abel Daniel, Lafia

As warnings of impending floods grow with the intensifying rains, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), in collaboration with the Nasarawa State Emergency Management Agency (NASEMA), has launched the National Preparedness and Response Campaign (NPRC) on flood disaster in Nasarawa State.

Speaking at a one-day stakeholders’ engagement on the NPRC in Lafia, NEMA Director General, Mrs. Zubaida Umar, represented by Mr. Aliyu Waziri, Director of NEMA’s North Central Zonal Directorate, said the campaign is focused on prevention, preparedness, mitigation, and response to flood disasters.

According to her, the NPRC is designed to minimize the annual impact of floods, protect livelihoods, and promote socio-economic development in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

She noted that annual floods in Nigeria have continued to cause significant loss of lives, livelihoods, and infrastructure. The 2025 Seasonal Climate Prediction and Annual Flood Outlook by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) and Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) have provided critical data on rainfall patterns and potential flood risks.

“We have developed vulnerability maps for communities at risk to help guide the government in formulating effective risk reduction measures. Public and private institutions, humanitarian agencies, schools, and youth organizations are encouraged to utilize these tools to support NEMA’s efforts,” she said.

The DG also highlighted other disaster mitigation strategies adopted by the agency, including the training of local emergency responders, simulation exercises, adherence to predicted rainfall timelines, desilting of drainages, conducting integrity tests on infrastructure, evacuation planning, community-based information sharing, and enhanced safety surveillance.

Barrister Benjamin Akwash, Director General of NASEMA, reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to protecting lives and property. He praised Governor Abdullahi Sule’s consistent support, which has enabled NASEMA to assist communities affected by floods and communal crises across the state.

“I want to thank NEMA for this initiative. I urge all stakeholders to participate actively to ensure proper preparedness for the 2025 flood predictions, especially as Nasarawa is one of the high-risk states,” he said.

During her presentation on the NPRC, Mrs. Bernadette Obaje, Chief Search and Rescue Officer at NEMA, emphasized the importance of preparedness and risk reduction, particularly early warning dissemination, stakeholder coordination, and comprehensive planning.

The climax of the 2025 NEMA/NPRC stakeholders’ engagement was a public awareness campaign on flood and fire disaster preparedness and response held at Gandu Community, Federal University, Lafia.

The event brought together a wide range of stakeholders, including the police, fire service, Department of State Services (DSS), and vice chairmen of the 13 local government areas in Nasarawa State.