By Faridat Salifu
The Jigawa State government has allocated over N4.2 billion to strengthen flood mitigation and emergency response mechanisms across the state.
Chairman of the Local Emergency Management Committees (LEMCs), Dr. Abdullahi Sa’id, made the announcement on Wednesday during a town hall meeting held in Ringim Local Government Area.
The meeting was organised by the Jigawa State Environmental Protection Agency (JISEPA) in partnership with the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA).
Jigawa is among the states projected to experience flooding this year, as highlighted in the 2025 Seasonal Climate Predictions issued by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet).
Dr. Sa’id said the funds would support interventions in 21 local government areas (LGAs) identified as high-risk zones for flooding.
He revealed that SEMA allocated N4 billion, while each of the state’s 27 LGAs contributed N11 million last month for disaster prevention and emergency readiness.
To coordinate local efforts, the state established Local Emergency Management Committees (LEMCs) in all 27 LGAs, chaired by the respective Vice Chairmen.
Each committee, comprising 20 members, is tasked with implementing flood mitigation activities, including public sensitisation, desilting of drainages, and community coordination.
Mr. Adamu Sabo, Managing Director of JISEPA, said the agency had conducted flood preparedness campaigns, community outreach, and environmental sanitation drives to raise awareness.
He described the efforts as “life- and property-saving,” urging residents to adopt flood-preventive behaviors and stop practices that block waterways.
Sabo added that the state is currently dragging rivers to ease water flow in flood-prone communities, especially in anticipation of dam releases from Tiga, Bagauda, and Challawa in neighboring Kano State.
He appealed to community leaders and participants to cascade the information to their respective localities to minimise disaster risk.
Executive Secretary of SEMA, Hannafi Yakubu, issued a public warning against the indiscriminate dumping of refuse in drainage channels, calling it a major factor worsening urban flooding.
The Emir of Ringim, Alhaji Sayyadi Mahmud, represented by Alhaji Nasiru Isa-Mahmud, praised the initiative and described it as a proactive step toward building community resilience.
The town hall meeting drew representatives from state and federal fire services, security agencies, humanitarian organisations, and other key disaster response stakeholders.
