NEMA TRAINS CORPS MEMBERS AHEAD OF 2016 FLOODING

The Owerri Operations Office of the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, has trained 487 National Youths Service Corps, NYSC, members that will serve as Emergency Management Vanguards, EMV, ahead of this year’s likely flooding. The NEMA Coordinator, Imo/Abia Operations Office, Mr. Evans Ugoh, who disclosed this while fielding questions from newsmen in Owerri, also disclosed that the corps members would help in sensitizing the citizenry on disaster risk reduction. “Preparations are also in top gear to inaugurate another group of EMVs in Ohaji/Egbema and Oguta local government areas, which are the most vulnerable areas in Imo for flood disaster”, Ugoh said. According to NEMA Coordinator, the main aim of the retraining and inauguration of EMVs was for them to help the Agency to propagate the campaign on disaster risk reduction at the grassroots level. “The campaign will enable the Agency send across the early warning measures, which would go a long way in preventing or mitigating flood disaster”, Ugoh said. Answering a question, the Coordinator disclosed that NEMA has distributed relief materials worth over N150 million within three months to no fewer than 5,000 victims of disasters spread across Imo and Abia state. While stressing the need for the people to quickly report any unusual rise in water level to NEMA, the Coordinator however opined that in case of any disaster, the Agency would always identify with the plight of disaster victims. “Between January and March 2016, the Agency’s Owerri Operations Office in collaboration with other stakeholders in disaster management have intervened in various disaster occurrences, which includes the fire outbreak at Pictorial Hotel, Nekede Market fire and Mofil Filling station”, Ugoh said. Continuing, the Coordinator said that his team also intervened at a fatal road traffic crash, involving FRSC staff in Aba, Abia State, the flood disaster in Ohafia, Aba South, Obowo and Ihite/Uboma local council areas.