The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), at the weekend, conducted a full-scale flood response simulation exercise in Ogbaru, Anambra State, as part of its proactive efforts to enhance national preparedness and response capacity.

The exercise, held along the banks of River Niger, was led by the Director-General of NEMA, Zubaida Umar, who emphasised the urgent need for early action and coordinated efforts by all stakeholders to mitigate the impacts of flooding in Nigeria.

Umar noted that flooding remains one of the most recurrent and devastating natural disasters in the country, with far-reaching impacts on lives, livelihoods, infrastructure, and entire communities.

“The recent flood disaster, witnessed in Mokwa, Niger State, is a stark reminder of our vulnerability. The essence of this simulation is not only to test our operational plans and protocols but also to identify existing gaps and reinforce inter-agency collaboration,” she said.

She said that the exercise aimed to further step down flood awareness to grassroots communities, particularly in flood-prone areas like Ogbaru. It also sought to bring together key local stakeholders to define their roles and rehearse coordinated response mechanisms in the event of a real disaster.

She, therefore, encouraged all participants to approach the exercise with professionalism and a learning mindset, stressing the need to identify weaknesses and propose viable solutions to improve the national flood response system.

Also speaking, NEMA’s Director of Search and Rescue, Air Commodore Kenneth Oyong, disclosed that the simulation was preceded by a series of capacity-building sessions and technical engagements with stakeholders and community members.

These sessions, according to him, were aimed at raising awareness of flood risks and clarifying the roles and responsibilities of responders at all levels.

Executive Secretary of Anambra SEMA, Paul Odenigbo, who represented the governor, commended NEMA for its proactive approach. He pledged the state government’s readiness to partner NEMA towards ensuring effective flood disaster management in the state.