The Director-General of the National Orientation Agency, NOA, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, has emphasised the need for flood preparedness and disaster management to avert the devastating consequences of flooding in Nigeria.

Speaking at a stakeholders’ engagement meeting in Niger State, Onilu noted that many states across the country have suffered severe effects of flooding over the years, citing recent examples in Niger, Kogi, Rivers, Anambra, and Bayelsa, among others, and stressing the need for collective efforts to mitigate its impact.

Represented by the Deputy Director of Media and Communication, Princess Egbe Akenzua, the NOA DG attributed the flooding ravaging communities to poor drainage systems and careless waste disposal. He urged the public to adhere to early warning advisories issued by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency, NiMet, which he noted have a 90 per cent accuracy rate.

Onilu also highlighted the federal government’s efforts in flood mitigation, which include a presidential directive to release N3 billion per state for drainage clearance and relocation in 2024.

In addition, he disclosed that other key areas of focus for the agency include national security awareness, values reorientation, sensitisation on Nigerian identity and national symbols, as well as campaigns against extreme graduation practices that do not align with Nigerian values.

The NOA DG further revealed that the agency plans to reach millions of Nigerians through various campaigns and engagements across the 36 states, FCT, and 774 local government areas in the third quarter.

Some stakeholders who spoke at the event commended the NOA Niger Directorate for organising the town hall meeting. They observed that challenges such as insecurity and flooding require collective efforts to build a safe and prosperous nation.

They also stressed the importance of adhering to early warning signs from NiMet, especially for people living in flood-prone areas, to avert incessant flooding that has ravaged communities in Niger State and other parts of the country.

Earlier, the Niger State Director of NOA, Mallam Yahaya Ibrahim Gbongbo, said the meeting was organised to enable members of the public to speak their minds and ask questions. He explained that their inputs would be forwarded to the federal government for clarification, to promote better understanding of its initiatives and foster a sense of national unity and patriotism.

The stakeholders’ meeting was attended by heads of various organisations, including the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, Civil Defence, Niger State Emergency Management Agency, NSEMA, the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, the Nigerian Union of Journalists, NUJ, youth group leaders, and students, among others.