The Federal Government, through the National Emergency Management Agency, has commenced training of stakeholders in Benue State on prevailing flood risks, preparedness and response arrangements that could reduce disasters.
Speaking at the two-day workshop in Makurdi on Tuesday, the Acting Zonal Director, North Central, National Emergency Management Agency, Mr Sulieman Mohammed, said the training was expected to provide an opportunity for all participating stakeholders to develop a common understanding of the exercise scenario, objectives, operational procedures, roles and responsibilities, communication arrangements and mechanisms for coordinated response.
He explained that early warning information must translate into timely community action, evacuation, rescue, relief and recovery support.
He said, “This training is also intended to ensure that participants are familiar with the bottom-up emergency response approach, beginning at the community level and progressively escalating through the Local Emergency Management Committee (LEMC), the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), and, where necessary, to the Federal level through NEMA.”
Mohammed noted that Benue State is highly exposed to flooding due to its extensive river systems, floodplains, seasonal rainfall and the concentration of settlements and economic activities around the River Benue and its tributaries.
Hence, he said, “The prevailing flood risk therefore demands that preparedness and response arrangements remain proactive, coordinated and practical.
“Early warning information must translate into timely community action, evacuation, rescue, relief and recovery support.”
Mohammed said that the simulation programme was designed to test the stakeholders’ collective capacity to translate plans and early-warning information into effective action.
“It will provide an opportunity to examine how information is received and disseminated, how communities respond, how local structures activate their response mechanisms, and how additional support is mobilised as the situation escalates. The exercise will also test interoperability among the various agencies and organisations involved in flood disaster management,” Mohammed said.
In his goodwill message on the occasion, the Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme Country Office in Nigeria, Mrs Elsie Attafuah, described the initiative as a unique opportunity to strengthen disaster preparedness and enhance institutional coordination.
The country representative, who was represented by Dr Sunday Amama, said that the organisation remained committed to supporting both the Federal Government and state governments of Nigeria through strategic partnerships, technical assistance, policy advisory services, capacity development, innovation and catalytic financing.
“Together with our partners, we will continue to promote integrated, risk-informed, and people-centred approaches that strengthen resilience and accelerate sustainable development in Nigeria,” the country head said.
In his welcome address, the Executive Secretary of the Benue State Emergency Management Agency, James Iorpuu, who was represented by the Head of Administration of the agency, Atii Samuel, said that, considering the state’s exposure to flooding, it had mobilised relevant stakeholders to be part of the exercise.