The Governor, Dr Alex Otti has charged participants of the one day Stakeholders Engagement on National Disaster Preparedness and Response Campaign 2025, organized by the State Emergency management Agency in conjunction with NEMA to take the meeting seriously.
Governor Otti represented by the commissioner for Environment, Dr Philemon Ogbonna who stated this during the stakeholderngagement meeting with the theme:” Strengthening Resilience Enhancing Preparedness and Response” held at Rapha Hotel umuahia described the event as important due to the fact that it coincided with this year’s International Day of the environment
He pointed out that the essence of the downscaling exercise is to build citizens resilience as well as incorporate risk communication and engagement approaches to directly disseminate early warning messages for early actions at the state, local and community levels.
Gov Otti who maintained that the measure will help ensure the mitigation of devastating impact of flood incidence in the state added that the exercise is evident in the ongoing massive construction of roads, erosion control and drainages by his administration targeted at mitigating the ravaging impact of flood disaster in the State .
In his keynote address, the Director General NEMA, Zubaida Umar represented by the Director South East NEMA, Mr Walson Brandon, said NEMA has developed disaster mitigation strategies including capacity building of local emergency responders,rain water harvesting among others and appreciated the Governor, Dr Alex Otti for his foresight in adopting strategies that will help in mitigating disaster in the state.
In his welcome address,the Executive secretary, state emergency management agency,Dr Sunny Jackson pointed out that the meeting is important as it will afford the participants the opportunity of taking appropriate and proper actions to reduce the impact of the upcoming flood disaster as predicted by the Nigeria hydrological services Agency and Nigeria meteorological agency while commending the Governor Dr Alex Otti for the prompt approval for the stakeholders meeting on Natural Disaster preparedness.
The event which attracted the presence of permanent secretaries,heads of service of the local government Areas among others, featured presentation on state strategy for the national Preparedness and Response Campaign and interactive session.
