Flood: UNICEF Advocates Early Preparation to Mitigate Emergencies
Flood: UNICEF Advocates Early Preparation to Mitigate Emergencies
By ALEX UANGBAOJE, Kaduna
Following the commencement of the rainy season in Nigeria, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), has charged the general public on the need to start early preparation for emergencies before they strike.
UNICEF Emergency Specialist, Olusoji Adeniyi, gave the charge in Kaduna at the flag off of a Three-day Emergency and Preparedness Response workshop on Flood, organised by UNICEF for emergency stakeholders in 12 states in the Northern part of the country plus the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and media practitioners.
He emphasised the need for everyone to start the message of emergency preparedness from their homes, saying “emergency preparedness and response is everybody’s business, if we prepare, we are likely to have better chance of responding appropriately.”
Olusoji warned that, “the rains are here and the floods are going to come whether we like it or not. What’s causing the floods? We are blocking the natural flow parts of the rivers that are supposed to absolve the waters, the water will find their level.
“So, if you know you are living in a place that was flooded before, this is the time you should know that is likely to flood again and you should have plan B of when you need to relocate to higher ground or to clear your drains and make sure that sufficient provisions are made for the water to flow away rather than flow into your apartment, if your environment is clean and the drains are well taken care of you are likely not to suffer flood.”
Delivering a paper on “Media Engagement in Emergencies”, Media and External Relations Officer, UNICEF Kaduna, Rabiu Musa noted that emergencies are facts which is part of our daily lives and as such must be prepared for, addressed and responded to appropriately and timely too.
He added that emergencies are setbacks that creates injurious situation, lost of lives and properties and that it requires quick strategic decisions and actions to contain the situations it creates. He also said that it requires collective efforts to manage all stakeholders in the emergency sector.
While appraising the role of the media, Rabiu said “we recognise the power and potentials of the media as an integral partner in preventing and responding to emergencies.”
He therefore, called on the media to continue to deliver on positive reportage in constantly educating and informing the people on issues of emergencies and to also respect people’s privacy especially when it concern children and women.
Bauchi, Jigawa, Kebbi, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Nasarawa, Niger, Plateau, Sokoto, Taraba, Zamfara, and FCT, are currently participating in the training workshop.
