Flood: Imo Inaugurates Local Emergency Management Committees

By Peter Okolie

Gov. Hope Uzodimma of Imo on Thursday inaugurated a 135-member Local Emergency Management Committees (LEMCs) to enhance flood disaster preparedness and response in the state.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the LEMCs is made up of five-member committee from each of the 27 Local Government Areas of the state.

Declaring open a two-day training workshop for them in Owerri, Uzodimma emphasised his administration’s continued commitment to emergency disaster management in the state.

Uzodimma, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Chief Cosmas Iwu, said the structure had been there at the state level.

“What we are doing today is to replicate them at the local government levels where disasters usually occur.

“We don’t have to wait for disasters to occur before taking action as the committees will prevent disaster by monitoring environmental indices for necessary proactive measures,” he said.

In a speech, the South-East Zonal Director of NEMA, Mr Wilson Brandon, lauded Imo for being the first state in the South-East and South-South to establish LEMC.

Brandon explained that the NEMA Establishment Act stipulated the establishment of the LEMC across the country.

He underscored the importance of the committees, urging stakeholders to leverage on their existence to mitigate disasters at the local government levels.

“It is a worldwide practice for members of the community to respond first to disaster before other stakeholders like the police, civil defense, ambulance and fire service, among others, come for rescue,” he noted.

Also speaking, the Chairman of Oru West Local Government Area, Mr Ikenna Adikibe, commended Uzodimma for his visionary leadership and consistent commitment to the safety and well-being of the people of the state.

Adikibe said the inauguration and training of LEMCs demonstrated Uzodimma’s proactive governance, “one that places human lives, community resilience and disaster preparedness at the center of development.”

He assured the governor of the local government chairmen’s support towards achieving the goals of the programme.

“The training will undoubtedly equip them with knowledge, tools and strategies, required for effective disaster prevention, mitigation and response,” he added.

The Acting Permanent Secretary, Office of the Secretary to the State Government, Mr Odoemenam Onyemaechi, highlighted the key objective of the committees to include decentralisation disaster management.

He said it aimed at ensuring community engagement, risk identification and mitigation as well as coordination with state structures.

Speaking in an interview, NEMA’s Head of Operations in-charge of Imo and Abia, Mr Nnamdi Igwe, said the LEMCs would help strengthen disaster awareness through collaboration with town unions, youth and women leaders as well as religious and traditional rulers.

Igwe further noted that it would ease transfer of disaster management and prevention information from the local communities through the state emergency management agency to NEMA.

He disclosed that they would be trained and equipped with fire blankets and extinguishers, first aid boxes, and reflective jackets for easy identification.

“The trainees are expected to cascade the training to the grassroots.

“Corps members will equally be trained following their presence in various communities,” he added.

NAN reports that the two-day event will witness various lectures and trainings of the committee members.

The theme of the event is “Flood warning preparedness and disaster management in Imo State for critical stakeholders and local emergency management committee”. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Maureen Atuonwu