The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Owerri Operations Office, and Abia State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) say they have initiated adequate measures to avert flooding in both states this rainy season.

The NEMA’s Head of Operations, Owerri Office, Mr Nnamdi Igwe, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Owerri that part of the agency’s efforts included the early warning alerts issued to the Local Government Areas (LGAs) that were at risk.

Igwe said the agency, in collaboration with the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) and the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NHSA), had also intensified awareness in the affected areas.

According to him, the agency has intensified public sensitisation through radio, television, social media, and town hall meetings, focusing on flood-prone areas to educate residents on precautionary measures.

He further said that the emergency response teams had undergone refresher training in flood rescue operations, first aid, evacuation, and camp management.

Igwe said that strategic food reserve, medical supplies, and emergency shelter materials had been adequately made in zonal warehouses across the country.

“High-risk communities have been identified and evacuation routes and temporary shelters have been mapped out in collaboration with state emergency agencies.

“NEMA has coordinated with the state governments, security agencies, NGOs, and the Red Cross for a harmonised and swift emergency response when needed,” he said.

He expressed the hope that with those proactive strategies, “the agency will mitigate the impact of flooding and safeguard lives and property in the state”.

Meanwhile, rainy season farming activities commenced in earnest in the state as both farmers and unskilled labourers, who had previously moved to cities in search of menial jobs, have returned to their villages to cultivate their farms.

A cucumber farmer, Mr Gregory Nzenwa, who shared his experience with NAN, said the major problems faced by farmers included the lack of access to high yielding seeds and organic fertiliser.

Nzenwa said that a lot of smallholder farmers, who could not afford high yield seedlings to cultivate, often ended up with low yields during harvest.

He further explained that poor soil quality also affects farmers, especially those that farm on the same land for several years, leading to the depletion of soil nutrients.

He said the development could be combated with proper introduction of organic fertiliser to ensure seedlings had a great start.

Nzenwa, however, regretted that farmers had limited access to such fertiliser and called on government at various levels to do more to encourage agriculture in the South-East.

The Leader of Oganiru Multipurpose Cooperative Society, Mrs Ukamaka Ilomuanya, said the cassava farming group had been in business for four years at Egbu in Owerri North LGA of the state.

Ilomuanya said they still rely on manual labour and traditional farming methods, which are time-consuming and labour-intensive.

Despite the challenge, she said that rainy season farming remained a vital source of livelihood for many rural communities.

She emphasised the importance of farming in providing food security, income, and a sense of purpose.

Another farmer, Mr Charles Iwuozor, said that poor pest control also posed challenge to farmers, adding that some pesticides also have adverse effects on crops.

Iwuozor said that the provision of organic pest control would encourage more farmers to go into large-scale farming without the fear of destroying their crops with poisonous pesticides.

He also said that wildlife activities also cause problems for farmers, pointing out that animals sometimes destroy their crops before they are ready for harvest.

Also in Umuahia, the Abia capital, the Executive Secretary of SEMA, Dr Sunday Jackson, said that the state government had taken proactive measures to mitigate the impact of flooding, including the construction of drainages in the ongoing massive road construction in different parts of the state, traversing the agrarian communities.

Jackson said that the state was conscious of the 2025 Flood Prediction by NIMET and NHSA, where Abia was listed among the 30 states to experience flooding this year.

He said that many communities were usually affected in the past and that the agency had already embarked on awareness creation to ensure that communities evacuate areas that are prone to flooding.

He commended Gov. Alex Otti for addressing environmental challenges and building resilient communities in the state.

Jackson commended NEMA for always providing succour to the state.

He, however, appealed for more interventions, saying that “the magnitude of flood disasters in Abia is usually far beyond the capacity of the state.”

The Director, Department of Climate Change, state Ministry of Environment, Mr Chris Ike, said that the ministry had embarked on information dissemination to farmers and communities, using a flood guide that was shared by NiMET.

He said that the ministry was doing a lot of publicity in that regard to ensure that people were not taken unawares.

“We are sharing a lot of flood alert information to farmers, community leaders and quite a number of people so that they will prepare and take precautionary actions ahead of it,” Ike said.

Also, the Coordinator, Machiani Foundation for the Needy and Community Development, Mrs Peace Ezeka, said that the organisation was collaborating with SEMA to sensitise the people about flooding.

Ezeka said that the group had visited different rural communities, especially the flood prone areas in the state, to educate them on flood prevention and mitigation measures.

“Last year, we visited flood prone communities in Umuahia North, Bende and other LGAs to sensitise them and we are doing more this year,” she said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Sam Oditah