Kenny Folarin, Abuja

The Director General, National Emergency Management Agency, (NEMA) Muhammadu Muhammed has said that the Agency will continue to map vulnerable communities for emergency response based on Seasonal Climate Prediction (SCP).

Muhammed while speaking in Abuja on Wednesday at the Experts’ Technical Meeting of Stakeholders to analyze the 2021 Seasonal Climate Prediction noted that vulnerable communities will not be neglected as “NEMA will continue to map vulnerable communities based on the prediction as indicated by our climate risk monitoring agency to enhance and direct enlightenment campaign in critical states”.

Meanwhile, Muhammed stated that the technical meeting is relevant considering past experiences of unprecedented flood and other disasters that had affected several states of Nigeria and wreaked havoc on communities which had drastically affected the agency’s collected disaster resilience.

He added that the impact of these hazards on lives, properties and environment depends on the country’s level of preparedness which to a large extent relies on efficient early warning systems which stimulates early action mechanisms.

He however assured that NEMA will ensure mechanism that will allow stakeholders at Federal, State and Local Government as well as Communities levels to prepare adequately in order to mitigate and respond to anticipated climate risk and secondary hazards whenever the need arises.

Deputy Director, Planning, Research and Forecasting, NEMA, Mrs Fatima Kasim on her own part stated that the workshop will interpret the various implications of 2021 Seasonal Climate Prediction and also make recommendations in order to prepare for, propose mitigative actions and response to the expected impact of the predicted rainfall pattern especially, flooding.

Kasim, while reiterating the unwavering commitment of NEMA to disaster management noted that the target of the agency is to ensure that emergency situations across the country are handled in line with international best practices.