Flood alert: FG, UN move to establish unified disaster warning system

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By Joseph Erunke, Abuja

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The Federal Government has intensified efforts to curb recurring flood disasters in Nigeria by bringing together key emergency, weather, hydrological, telecommunications and space science agencies to establish a unified early warning system aimed at saving lives and reducing the impact of climate-related hazards.

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The move followed a high-level inter-agency meeting convened by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) in Abuja on Wednesday ahead of the national launch of the Early Warnings for All (EW4All) Initiative, a United Nations-backed programme designed to ensure that people at risk receive timely and actionable disaster alerts.

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The meeting was attended by the Director-General of NEMA, Mrs Zubaida Umar; Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr Aminu Maida; Director-General of the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA), Alhaji Ahmed Ibrahim Mohammed; Director-General of the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA), Dr Matthew Adepoju; Director-General of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), Prof. Charles Anosike; and representative of the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), Mr Muliro Mashauri.

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The stakeholders deliberated on strengthening collaboration among critical institutions, defining their roles and establishing practical measures for the implementation of a coordinated national early warning framework.

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Speaking at the meeting, NEMA Director-General, Mrs Umar, described the initiative as a significant milestone in Nigeria’s disaster risk management efforts through improved institutional cooperation.

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Quoting the United Nations Secretary-General, she said the Early Warnings for All Initiative represents a “survival agenda for humanity,” adding that Nigeria must view it as a national security and development priority.

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She noted that the initiative aligns with Nigeria’s commitments under the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, the Sustainable Development Goals, the Paris Agreement on climate adaptation and President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda aimed at protecting lives, safeguarding development gains and building resilient communities.

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NCC boss, Dr Maida, stressed that effective communication remains critical to the success of any early warning system, pledging the commission’s support to ensure that timely alerts reach vulnerable communities before disasters occur.

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He said all institutions represented at the meeting have complementary responsibilities that must be properly coordinated to protect Nigerians from floods and other emergencies.

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NASRDA Director-General, Dr Adepoju, highlighted the importance of satellite technology and space-based data in disaster prediction and response, assuring that the agency would deploy its expertise to strengthen Nigeria’s early warning infrastructure.

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Similarly, NIHSA Director-General, Alhaji Mohammed, said accurate hydrological forecasts would enable governments and communities to take preventive measures before disasters occur, thereby reducing damage to lives, livelihoods and infrastructure.

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He commended NEMA for convening the meeting and reaffirmed NIHSA’s commitment to providing flood forecasts, hydrological data and technical support for the initiative.

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NiMet Director-General, Prof. Anosike, also restated the agency’s readiness to provide timely weather and climate information to support disaster preparedness across the country.

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Representing UNDRR, Mr Mashauri applauded the commitment of the participating agencies, describing the collaboration as a positive example of coordinated disaster risk reduction efforts in the West African region.

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He said the decision to bring together heads of critical institutions to jointly address disaster risks and early warning was commendable.

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At the end of the meeting, participating agencies reaffirmed their commitment to building an effective, inclusive and people-centred national early warning system capable of supporting anticipatory action, improving disaster preparedness and reducing the impact of floods and other climate-related hazards in Nigeria.

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