Gov. Biodun Oyebanji of Ekiti has commended the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) for timely response to the victims of flood disaster in the state.
He said this when he paid a visit to the Director-General of the agency, Mr Mustapha Ahmed, on Tuesday in Abuja.
He said that the visit was to appreciate the agency for its support to the people of the state affected by one form of disaster and to request for more intervention.
The governor added that early warnings and preparations had already been put in place to forestall devastating impacts of flood in the state.
“I have spent five months in office and I can tell you that we are really prepared for this year’s flooding but we can do more if we collaborate with agencies like NEMA.
“My visit today is for two reasons, to thank them for their support to Ekiti government and to tell them that we can receive more of this intervention in the interest of our people.
“I also want to invite the director-general to come to Ekiti and see what we have done in preparation of the flooding.
He added that the state had received a report indicating areas prone to flooding this year and his government had prioritized it.
“For the past three months, we have focused on dredging, clearing of canals and drainages has been on to ensure that we do not have such experience again,” he said.
Ahmed appreciated the governor for the visit, while commending him for heeding to NEMA’s call for early preparation, mitigation and prevention of flood disaster in the country.
The director-general, however , called on the state government to establish its local emergency management committees, to
“Disasters as they say is local, it starts from a community, within a local government.
“So, it is important to have a local emergency management committee to tackle that local disaster, then the state government comes in.
“It is only when these capacities have been exhausted that NEMA comes in, so it is important for state governments to establish their local emergency management committees,” he added.
