Bauchi State government has taken measures to combat flooding ahead of the forthcoming rainy season.
Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, Hajiya Hajara Wanka said this on Wednesday at a stakeholders engagement meeting on flood disaster sustainable management strategy.
Speaking at the meeting with the theme: ‘Building Resilience and Collaborative Solutions for Flood-Affected Communities,’ Wanka said the theme was a call to action for all stakeholders to craft strategies that are proactive and preventive.
She said the meeting would chart ways for effective flood prevention and mitigation measures, as well as evacuation techniques where necessary.
“This town hall meeting represents a key step in our collective journey toward building resilient communities, mitigating risks, enhancing preparedness and ensuring effective response and recovery in the face of flood.
“Flooding is one of the most recurrent and devastating natural disasters affecting our communities and Bauchi State was the second most hit state after Borno in 2024.
“Many lives were lost, livelihoods destroyed and significant challenges were posed to our socio-economic development as a result of the flood in 2024.
“However, today’s engagement is not just about acknowledging the challenges; it is about forging a path forward. A path that prioritises sustainability, collaboration and community-driven solutions,” she said.
Also speaking, the Director of Relief and Rehabilitation, State Emergency Management Agency, SEMA, Mr Adamu Neyola said 16 local government areas were affected by flood in 2024.
Neyola said the stakeholders meeting would identify areas that were not captured during the assessment.
“We are also here to know the depth, density and severity of flood disasters that happened in those areas and chart a way forward.
“This will help us mitigate, restore and at least recover from what we lost last year.
“This disaster affects the people and they are the ones that know what is happening, like the causes and impact.”
On his part, the State Coordinator, North-East Development Commission, NEDC, Mr Ibrahim Bashir assured that the commission is committed to addressing disasters in the region.
