By Abdulrahman Abdullahi
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has advised FCT residents to prepare for the rainy season and avoid environmental practices that could lead to flooding in the territory.
Director-General of FCT FEMA, Mr Abass Idris, gave the advice in a statement signed by FEMA’s Acting Head, Public Relations, Ngaha Faustina.
The director-general stated that preparedness and sensitisation remained key towards reducing disasters in the FCT.
He appealed to residents to desist from acts, such as indiscriminate waste disposal into water channels and rivers, building on water ways and river banks as well as diverting water channels.
“Everyone is a stakeholder in this disaster prevention efforts and FEMA has created a high level awareness amongst residents through several media platforms to establish the consciousness of disaster prevention and mitigation, rather than management.
“This yields better results, because community participation by residents in disaster management will bring about greater results,” he said.
He said that the Nigerian Meterological Agency (NiMet) had predicted that the Northern part of the country should expect rains from May and June, while those in the coastal areas should expect rains from March 1st.
Idris, therefore, advised agricultural and extension officers to sensitise farmers on this and provide crops that are suitable for the season, in order to avert food insecurity which could also result to more disaster.
He also appreciated NEMA’s emergency stakeholders, such as the vanguards, volunteers and local divers who have proactively responded to emergencies in the FCT.