By Timothy Ekpo
UYO
Against prediction by the Nigerian Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) in its Annual Flood Outlook Report 2024, that Akwa Ibom State would be affected by flood this year, the state government has directed the Emergency and Disaster Management Committee to carry out intensive sensitization of the people to guard against acts inimical to the safety of the environment.
The deputy governor, Senator Akon Eyakenyi, gave the charge at the inaugural meeting of the Emergency and Disaster Management Committee at Government House, Uyo, where she told the committee to ensure that the annual flood outlook report that Akwa Ibom would be greatly affected by flood this year, does not take place.
Eyakenyi, who gave the assurance that government was committed to the safety of the people and property against flooding, urged the committee to sensitize all Akwa Ibom people about the annual flood outlook report and get them to desist from practices which are inimical to the safety of the environment.
She explained that the inaugural meeting became necessary to enable the committee swing into action in fulfilment of the mandate given by Governor Umo Eno for the mitigation of the possible impact associated with the prediction made by the federal agency.
“This meeting is meant to enable us commence activities in line with the mandate given us by the governor regarding the 2024 Annual Flood Outlook Report released by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET).
“It will afford us the opportunity to discuss and take decisions on what steps to take in order to fulfil the mandate of the committee as given by the governor.”
Describing the job of the committee as life-saving, Eyakenyi charged members to do their utmost considering the enormity of the tasks and the confidence reposed in them by the governor.
She said the report was intended to help the state take proactive steps towards mitigating the impact of the predicted flood.
“The report is not intended to make us panic. It is rather meant to help us take necessary and timely steps towards mitigation. This is exactly what the governor has done through the constitution of this committee.
She urged everyone to take issues bordering on the safety of the environment seriously, noting that without the environment, there would be no humanity.
Also speaking, the commissioner for information and strategy, Comrade Ini Ememobong, thanked Eyakenyi for demonstrating capacity as chairman of the committee, expressing optimism that the committee will fulfil its mandate.
Ememobong expressed the need for a deeper investigation to ascertain the state of the estuaries and flood control systems in the state.
He harped on constant awareness and sensitization, saying global ecology was highly affected by climate change.
The South-South representative of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mr Nelson Brandon, pledged NEMA’s readiness to work with the state in averting the predicted crisis.
The one-day Workshop on Emergency and Disaster Management featured paper presentation on topics like Emergency/Disaster Management, Preparedness; Mitigation, Response and Recovery Plan in Akwa Ibom State; Understanding the Weather Strategies and Planning to Avert Disasters Like Flood, Wind Storms, among others.
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