Stakeholders Converge To Tackle Flooding, Other Emergencies

Folashade Adeniran
Aug, Wed, 2025

Environment

Stakeholders converge to tackle flooding, other emergencies

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By Yetunde Fatungase

Stakeholders from the six South-West states on Tuesday converged on Ijebu-Ode for a three-day multi-sectoral emergency preparedness workshop to address flooding and other emergencies bedeviling the region.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the workshop was organised by the Oyo State Government in collaboration with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

Presenting a paper, UNICEF’s Emergency Specialist, Abuja, Mr Olayinka Afolabi, linked recurring flooding and cholera outbreaks in many south-west states to poor sanitation and open defecation.

He said a National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) risk analysis identified Lagos, Ogun, Oyo and Osun as states vulnerable to cholera due to sanitation challenges.

According to Afolabi, citing NEMA’s countrywide risk analysis, 64 suspected cholera cases were recorded as of week 30 (July) with no fatalities, representing a 0.0 per cent case fatality rate.

Afolabi added that the figure showed a 74 per cent decrease compared to cases reported in week 29.

“Cumulatively from week one to 30, 113 deaths have been reported with a case fatality rate of 2.4 per cent from 4,708 suspected cases.

“In total for 2025, 35 states have recorded at least one suspected case across 199 local government areas,” he said.

Afolabi, however, identified four planning processes for emergency preparedness to include, risk analysis, scenarios, anticipated response, and preparedness.

He noted that emergencies were part of human existence but lack of preparedness and response continued to exacerbate the impact on communities and hindered recovery efforts.

He added that focus must be on reducing disaster risk and improving preparedness.

He urged government at all levels to equip agencies that managed disasters and support emergency preparedness.

He explained that “if you spend two dollars on emergency preparedness, you save between six and eight thousand dollars that would otherwise be spent if the emergency actually occurs.”

Outlining the objectives of the workshop, Mr Oluwasola Olanipekun, UNICEF Planning, Monitoring and Reporting Specialist, stressed the need for activating contingency plans backed by effective response.

Olanipekun said the workshop aimed to strengthen coordination of emergency management across south-west states, while ensuring that children and women — the most vulnerable groups during crises — remained a priority in all response efforts.

“Once emergency happens, we need to activate our plans for effective response,” he said.

He tasked each state to adhere to the Standard Operating Procedures for coordinating response to emergencies.

In his welcome address, Mr Rotimi Babalola, the Permanent Secretary, Oyo State Ministry of Information and Orientation, said the goal of the meeting was to strengthen the collective readiness of key stakeholders in emergency response.

He noted that emergencies required timely, coordinated and multi-sectoral action, hence, the need for preparedness.

Babalola urged participants to actively engage in discussions, exchange ideas, and translate the outcomes of the workshop into actionable measures in their respective states.

“Emergencies as we all know, do not give prior notice. They demand timely, coordinated and multi-sectoral action.

“This workshop, therefore, provides us with a unique platform to share knowledge, review strategies, and build stronger collaboration across sectors and states.

He expressed confidence that “the skills, partnerships, and action plans developed here will go a long way in saving lives, reducing risks, and safeguarding our communities.” (NAN)

Edited by Kevin Okunzuwa

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