From Ismail Adebayo, Birnin kebbi
The Kebbi State Government and its partners, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), UNICEF and other technical experts have said they are taking necessary actions to strengthen their measures and preparation ahead of this year's flood season in the state.
The partners at a Three-Day Emergency Preparedness Workshop by Kebbi State Government said they are coming together to take measures to mitigate the predicted flooding in the state by jointly assessing the potential emergencies, outbreaks and population displacement to ensure a comprehensive preparedness for a likely disaster.
Speaking at the workshop, the Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs, Musa Hassan Argungu reaffirmed the state government's commitment to disaster risk reduction and emergency preparedness. He emphasized the importance of proactive planning, inter-agency collaboration, and community engagement in minimizing the impact of floods and other emergencies on vulnerable populations.
While addressing the workshop, the Zonal Coordinator of NEMA, Tukur Abubakar highlighted the increasing importance of preparedness in the face of evolving climate and disaster risks.
He commended Kebbi State and its partners for taking proactive measures ahead of the rainy season and stressed the need to strengthen early warning dissemination, community awareness, and coordinated response mechanisms to safeguard lives and livelihoods.
Also speaking, the emergency specialist for UNICEF Nigeria, Olayinka Afolabi, said preparedness remains the most effective way to reduce the impact of disasters on vulnerable populations.
He noted that the workshop is designed as a practical working session to develop actionable preparedness measures that can be implemented before the peak of the rainy season.
He added that communities needs to receive timely, accurate, and actionable information that enables them to take early protective actions.
