The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), says disaster management is everybody’s business and not just the business of government agencies.
Zainab Suleiman-Saidu, Hajiya Zainab Suleiman-Saidu, Head of Operations, NEMA, Minna Operations Office said this at a one-day stakeholders’ workshop on Sustainable Waste Management and Flood Preparedness, on Tuesday in Ilorin.
According to her, flood preparedness and waste management require a collaborative effort from governments, private sector and local communities to build resilience against natural disasters.
She said with the increasing frequency and severity of floods due to climate change, proactive measures are essential.
‘Disaster management is not just the business of NEMA or government agencies. It is everybody’s business.
‘We must put our heads together to manage disaster in year 2024. We must show concern and stop showing negligence.
‘Flood preparedness is very vital for safeguarding lives and property. Sustainable solutions are achievable thro
ugh cooperation and dedication,’ she said.
She warned that Kwara had been marked among the high risk areas this rainy season, and called for pro-active measures to mitigate the disaster.
The NEMA official urged the people to desist from indiscriminate dumping of waste in drains to keep the environment safe, adding that waste should be properly dump in designated collection centres.
‘Drop the waste into a designated place and it can be taken to a recycling company to be re-used.
‘It is not every waste that is useless. Most are very useful when they get to the recycling companies,’ she said.
The Commissioner for Environment, Hajia Nafisat Buge, also appealed to the public to adhere strictly to the warnings of NEMA.
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Represented by Mrs Mary Mustapha, an official of the ministry, Buge stressed that the public must be safety-conscious and stop being careless about the environment.
Source: News Agency of Nigeria