By REPORTERS

The Anambra, Ebonyi and Enugu State Governments have intensified flood prevention and preparedness amidst the ongoing rainfall following warnings by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) and the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA).

The three states disclosed this in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) while reacting to their preparations for flooding in the states.

NAN reports that the three states are some of the states in the country predicted for flooding by NiMet and NIHSA.

In Anambra, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Mr Tochukwu Obodogha, said the government in collaboration with relevant agencies, has commenced clearance and desilting of drainage channels and waterways in parts of the state to improve water flow and reduce blockages.

He said the ministry had also embarked on public sensitisation and early warning campaigns in flood-prone communities in collaboration with the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).

“The campaigns are focused on vulnerable areas and flood prone areas including Ayamelum, Ogbaru, Anambra East, Awka North, Ihiala, Ekwusigo, Onitsha North and Onitsha South Local Government Areas(LGAs).

A reliable source, who pleaded anonymity, at the Anambra State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), said 27 holding centres for the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) had been established in the eight LGAs.

The source said the state was on standby to relocate IDPs during flooding emergencies, especially in riverine communities affected by overflow from the River Niger.

According to the source, the state government and emergency agencies are continuing efforts to minimise the impact of flooding through early preparedness and response measures. .

Meanwhile, the Ogidi Community in Idemili North LGA of Anambra, had staged a peaceful protest to draw governments’ attention to the perennial flooding ravaging the community.

The protesters, including youths, community leaders and other stakeholders, described the phenomenon as severe and threatening livelihoods, property and public safety.

They carried placards with different inscriptions, such as “FG, Soludo, save us”, “Save our children from flooding”, ”Gov. Soludo, pls, save us from drowning”, ”Ogidi is drowning”, among others.

Addressing newsmen in his palace at the end of the exercise, the Traditional Ruler of the community, Igwe Alexander Onyido, expressed worry over the continued flooding of major roads and markets in the community.

Onyido said the persistent menace had continued to disrupt commercial activities, displaced residents and created mobility challenges and economic setback for the people.

He assured the residents that he would further engage the state government on the need for immediate intervention to prevent loss of lives and reduce the harrowing impact of the menace.

Also, the President of Ogidi Youths, Mr Chris Obi-Okafor, who led the protesters, said that the disaster posed a serious existential challenge to the community.

Obi-Okafor, therefore, appealed to the government at all levels to find a lasting solution to the problem.

He described the recurring menace as “a serious humanitarian challenge confronting the community”.

According to him, farmlands and economic trees have been destroyed, while businesses are collapsing due to the persistent flooding.

“Movement within the community has become difficult because many roads are always submerged whenever it rains.

“The education of our children is also being disrupted because many cannot go to school during the rainy season.

“This situation poses a serious threat to the future development of our community,” Obi-Okafor said.

In Enugu State, the government says it has commenced “Operation Desilt All Drains and Waterways” to ensure it contains flash flood in Enugu metropolis and major flooding in some communities in the hinterlands.

The Executive Secretary, Enugu State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Mrs Chinasa Mbah, told NAN that the declaration was a fall out of a meeting between the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, and the 17 council area chairmen on the 2026 Flood Prediction.

She said that the governor directed the chairmen to ensure a functioning Local Emergency Management Committee (LEMC) in each of their council areas.

According to her, the council’s LEMC committee will take the flood prediction message sensitisation to communities and form community flood committees and focal persons as well as formulate early warning system.

“The governor also directed chairmen to reactivate and make ready all flood Internal Displaced Persons (IDP) holding camps and directed SEMA to start radio jingles in English and Igbo languages on flood alert.

She said that the governor approved training and retraining of SEMA, council areas sensitisation and engagements as well as collaborative meetings with stakeholders in emergency management.

“The governor also directed that the various LEMC committees should give updates on their activities to the chairmen and chairmen transmit the same to the office of the SSG and SEMA fortnightly,” she said.

NAN observed that drainage system within the Okpara Avenue and Holy Ghost axis of Enugu metropolis had been desilted to allow for free flow of water.

Speaking, Mr Nnanyelugo Ezeani, the Information Officer of National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), said that the Agency had concluded arrangements for massive engagements in council areas and selected communities in Enugu State.

He noted that the Agency was collaborating with Sahel Consulting to bring tailored sensitisation to farmers on flood mitigation and management especially for farmers in flood prone agrarian communities in the state.

“We have sent letters and made advocacy follow up visits concerning the 2026 Flood Prediction to Enugu State Government, 17 council areas and some communities and well-prepared for engagements this year,” he said.

The Ebonyi State Emergency Management Agency (EBSEMA) has proactively embarked on measures to prevent flood disasters in the state.

The Executive Secretary of EBSEMA, Mr Clement Ovuoba, said that the agency had deployed early warning team to flood-prone areas, informing people living in water prone areas to relocate to high land to avoid disaster.

The executive secretary said that the team had visited and revamped its internally displaced camps.

Ovuoba added that the agency had also facilitated the desilting of drainage channels to minimise flood impacts.

He said other strong measures include reactivation of the local emergency management committee and establishing communication lines to get first hand information of possible flood incidents at the rural level.

According to him, the residents are complying with precautionary measures and warnings given.

“We are really prepared to mitigate negativities that will come from flooding,” the executive secretary said.

Ovuoba further stated that the agency had received the 2026 seasonal climate prediction for preparation and mitigation strategies.

He said that while other activities were carried out on the preparation, the agency still awaited approval of funds from the state government to execute a massive sensitisation campaign.

He advised residents to take precautions and warnings from SEMA, the environmental agency and other concerned authorities to prevent disaster.

“We are waiting for the state government to release funds to continue our radio jungles, organise stakeholders meetings and other strategies to flood.

“The annual outlook of rain is anticipated to give us specific areas to watch out for,” he said.

The SEMA boss lauded Gov Francis Nwifuru’s intervention and supports to survivors.(NAN)