The Rivers State Government has organised a stakeholders' seminar to conduct an overview of the 2012 flood as well as the management of solid and liquid waste in flood prone areas in the State.
Speaking during the seminar held in Port Harcourt, the Zonal Co-ordinator of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Emenike Umesi stressed the need for early identification of higher grounds for the relocation of flood victims, in order to ensure their safety in the zone.
The NEMA Zonal Co-ordinator who was represented by Damian Egwu called for the establishment of State Emergency Management Agencies (SEMA) and Local Emergency Management Committees (LEMC) to enable Government realise disaster risk reduction in the zone; explaining that its non-existence has been the greatest obstacle to the Agency in flood management.
In his own contribution, the State Commissioner for Special Duties, Umunakwe Dickson said that the Government is working hard to ensure that the impending flooding does not wreck havoc in the affected communities.
The State Commissioner of Special Duties who was represented by the Director of Administration in the Ministry noted that series of seminars have been held in all the flood prone areas across the State, in order to stop the impending incident.
Source: NEMA Calls for adequate flooding preparation in Rivers State (http://www.nigeria.gov.ng/2012-10-29-11-09-25/news/574-nema-calls-for-adequate-flooding-preparation-in-rivers-state)