From Saka Bolaji, Minna
The Niger state government has called on riverine communities in the state not treat with levity the warning of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) on likely flood along the River Niger’s flood plain this year.
Commissioner for Information Culture and Tourism Mr Jonathan Vatsa in a statement yesterday urged the riverine communities to leave the flood-prone areas for the meantime to avoid loss of lives and property.
He stated that it was better now that there was early warning mechanism put in place unlike in the past when the flood usually take the people by surprise , maintaining that the state government will do everything possible to mitigate the effect of the flood based on early warning.
Mr. Vatsa appealed to traditional rulers and religious as well as community leaders to sustain the sensitisation of the people on the need to take the warning from the emergency management agency very seriously.
His words: “We should not treat the early warning from the authorities with laxity; we are calling on the villagers along the flood plains that are prone to flood to move upland so that they will not be caught up by the flood as a result of the overflow of the river”
He assured that the administration of Governor Abubakar Sani Bello takes the welfare of residents very seriously and would do everything possible to ensure that all avoidable disasters are well managed for the overall development of the state .
The commissioner commended the efforts of all stakeholders, especially traditional rulers and local government chairmen in the state, in ensuring the management of the early warning from the agencies to eschew losses.
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