Hajiya Zainab Suleiman-Saidu, Head of Operations, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Minna Operations Office, says disaster management is everybody’s business and not just the business of Federal Government agencies.
Suleiman-Saidu said this on Tuesday at a one-day stakeholders’ workshop on Sustainable Waste Management and Flood Preparedness held at Kwara State Library, 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 through cooperation and dedication,” the NEMA official said.
She warned that Kwara had been marked as an high-risk area for 2024, and called for pro-active measures to prevent the risk occurrence.
The head of operation also advised the public to desist from indiscriminate dumping of refuse to keep the environment safe.
She said that there are designated places where waste should be dumped, and not in drains.
Suleiman-Saidu also echoed the need to manage waste properly, rather than disposing it into drains that would later lead to flooding.
“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 NEMA official called on women, religious leaders, community leaders, traditional rulers, youth organisations and other concerned citizens to spread the gospel of waste management.
She also advised parents to tell their children how to dispose waste properly without causing environmental disaster.
The Kwara Commissioner for Environment, Hajia Nafisat Buge, also appealed to the public to adhere strictly to the warnings of NEMA.
Buge, who was represented by Mrs Mary Mustapha from the Ministry of Environment, stressed that the public must be safety-conscious and stop being careless about their environment.
The Lead Speaker from NEMA, Hajia Ramatu Turaki, also advised the public to embrace responsible use of resources and stop being waste agents.
She warned that indiscriminate dumping of refuse was dangerous to the environment.
NAN reports that representatives from the National Orientation Agency, NESREA, Red Cross and the National Union for Road Transport Workers were present at the workshop.
Also, representatives from Tricycle Owners Association of Nigeria (TOAN), the National Youth Service Corps, Kwara State Environmental Protection Agency (KWEPA), and market women attended the workshop.
The Special Adviser to Gov. AbdulRahman AbdulRasaq on Special Duties, Alhaji Abdulrasak Jida and the State Commissioner for Housing and Urban Development, Dr Olusegun Ogunshola, led state representatives to the workshop. (NAN)
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