The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) held a stakeholder engagement on Saturday with members of the Farin Ruwa community in Rikkos, Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State, focusing on disaster preparedness and early response.
The agency’s Director-General, Mrs Zubaida Umar, stated at the meeting’s opening in Jos that the objective was to strengthen community-led early warning systems to better prepare for potential flooding.
The sensitisation programme was organised in collaboration with the Plateau State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA).
Mrs Umar explained that the meeting aimed to raise awareness among stakeholders and residents about proactive measures to mitigate the effects of flooding during the 2025 rainy season.
Representing the DG, the Head of Operations at NEMA’s North Central Office, Mr Adebiyi Razaq, emphasised that these goals could be achieved through early action and effective preparedness strategies.
She added that the engagement sought to unite stakeholders in developing measures to address the likely flooding risks, as forecasted by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET).
“The sensitisation programme was designed to inform state and local government authorities, as well as emergency management stakeholders, about the 2025 seasonal climate predictions and the annual flood outlook from NIMET and the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA).
“NEMA has produced vulnerability maps for all at-risk communities, serving as tools to assist governments in devising risk reduction strategies.
“The agency has also developed mitigation measures, including training local emergency responders, conducting simulation exercises, promoting rainwater harvesting, and encouraging adherence to the predicted rainfall onset for planting.
“Additional strategies include desilting drains, conducting integrity tests on critical infrastructure, preparing evacuation plans, fostering community-based information sharing, and enhancing safety and security surveillance,” she said.
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Mrs Umar appealed to traditional leaders, religious groups, women’s and youth organisations to assist NEMA in disseminating early warning messages, helping to prevent disasters during the rainy season.
Earlier, Mr Sunday Abdu, Executive Secretary of Plateau SEMA, praised NEMA for organising the sensitisation programme and urged stakeholders to share the knowledge gained within their communities.
The Farin Ruwa community leader, Malam Muhammadu Kalumbo, expressed gratitude to NEMA and SEMA for the proactive initiative, noting that the sensitisation would significantly contribute to protecting the community from the adverse effects of flooding.
