In a proactive move to mitigate the impact of seasonal flooding, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) on Wednesday engaged stakeholders and residents of Doka community in Tofa Local Government Area of Kano State in a flood preparedness and response campaign.

The initiative, themed “Strengthening Resilience, Enhancing Preparedness and Response,” is part of NEMA’s 2025 National Flood Preparedness and Response Campaign and is being implemented in collaboration with the Kano State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA).

Director General of NEMA, Zubaida Umar, who was represented by the Kano Territorial Coordinator, Dr. Nuradeen Umar, said the campaign is in alignment with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritises socio-economic development and disaster risk reduction.

“In the recent past, lives have been lost, and infrastructure worth billions of naira destroyed due to floods,” Umar stated. “NEMA has developed vulnerability maps for flood-prone communities, which should guide government and private efforts in risk mitigation.”

He added that the agency has introduced disaster mitigation strategies such as:

• Capacity building for local emergency responders
• Simulation exercises
• Rainwater harvesting
• Desilting of drainages and waterways
• Community-based information sharing
• Integrity tests on critical infrastructure

These steps are aimed at empowering local actors, including schools, humanitarian organisations, youth groups, and traditional institutions, to play a role in disaster prevention and early response.

Umar stressed the importance of adhering to meteorological predictions, especially for farmers, who are encouraged to align planting schedules with forecasted rainfall patterns.

Secretary to the Kano State Government, Faruk Ibrahim, warned that based on forecasts, Kano Central may face moderate flooding, while Kano North is at risk of severe drought. He emphasized the critical role of local responders as first points of contact during disasters.

“We must build the capacity of local emergency management units with training, funding, and equipment,” he said.

The Executive Secretary of Kano SEMA, Isyaku Kubarachi, praised the timeliness of the campaign, revealing that Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf has already instructed the clearing of drainages in Kano metropolis and issued similar directives to local government chairmen.

“Effective preparedness saves lives, livelihoods, and resources. That’s why we must emphasise collective responsibility,” Kubarachi noted.

As the 2025 rainy season approaches, NEMA is calling on media, traditional rulers, religious leaders, and civil society groups to help disseminate early warning messages and reinforce disaster preparedness efforts in vulnerable communities.