Edo boosts emergency response on flooding

Working with meteorological weather forecasts by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the Edo State Government has put in place a shelter at Udaba Ekperi in Etsako Central Local Government Area, to offer quick response to the plight of people to avoid a repetitive blunder of history.

Against the backdrop of hardship on residents living along the banks of River Niger during a past overflow of the river in the state, the government said it was upping it's ante to bridge last minute response.

Speaking to members of the press during a facility tour at the Resettlement Camp, Udaba Ekperi in Etsako Central Local Government Area, Commissioner for Special Duties, Engr. Osasere Evboumwan, gave an insight that government plans a proper relocation of residents in lowlands and riverine areas who might get displaced from their homes due to the rising water levels of the River Niger.

He said that due to the warning meteorological alerts issued to residents in lowlands he said government had to stock the state’s warehouse with food, blankets and medicines.

Facilities at the camp include hostels (halls of residence), offices, toilets, bathrooms, water tanks, a borehole, standby 30kva generator, a backup solar borehole, mosquito nets, mattresses, pillows, a large outer kitchen, and a washroom (bathroom).

Head of Operations, NEMA, Edo State, Dahiru Yussuf, speaking on the agency's level of preparedness said, “We have a local contact in the local government area who gives daily reports on what is going on here. We have food and non-food items for people to be evacuated to assist them. We are ready to move in.”