Emergency Management Agency Briefs on Preparedness Plan. – Independent Newspaper Nigeria

By Mohammed Abubakar, Damaturu.

In light of the recurring threats of flooding and other natural disasters in Yobe State, the Yobe State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) has been actively engaging with local and international partners to enhance resilience and disaster preparedness. This comes as part of the state’s commitment to fostering sustainable development and effective crisis management.

The Yobe State government, through SEMA, has been working on strengthening emergency response and building community resilience, especially in flood-prone areas.

During a press briefing by the Executive Secretary of Yobe SEMA, Dr. Goje Mohammed, themed “Strengthening Emergency Response and Building Community Resilience,” highlighted the state’s update on flood disaster response and preparedness plan.

According to him, SEMA has partnered with the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN OCHA) for flood mitigation and response engagement in Yobe.

Yobe State faces recurrent natural disasters like storms and flooding, exacerbated by conflict-driven displacement and destruction of property.

He explained that “Ladies and gentlemen, the journey of building resilience against floods in Yobe State is ongoing. We must continue to act decisively, prepare comprehensively, and strengthen partnerships that save lives and protect livelihoods. But beyond this, we must collectively recognize that no single government institution can address these challenges alone. I therefore call on all our partners; federal agencies, development partners, humanitarian organizations, civil society, the private sector, and communities to redouble their efforts and mobilize more resources in support of effective and coordinated flood response and preparedness”.

“This is a collective responsibility: to provide timely support, to scale up investments in early warning systems, to strengthen community-based disaster risk reduction, and to reinforce critical infrastructure that protects our people. I urge every stakeholder to align their interventions with the state’s contingency plan so that together we maximize impact, avoid duplication, and deliver swift, life-saving assistance. By standing united and pooling our resources, we can not only respond effectively when disasters strike, but also build the resilience of our communities for a safer and more secure future”.

“On behalf of His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Yobe State Hon (Dr.) Mai Mala Buni CON, COMN reaffirm the state government’s total commitment to leaving no community behind in the fight against flooding and its devastating impacts. We call on communities to remain vigilant, heed early warning advisories, and work with us to ensure that together, we not only respond to disasters but build a safer, stronger, and more resilient Yobe State”.