World Bank, NEMA roll out pilot disaster risk programme in Kano
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The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) says it has adopted new measures to mitigate flooding and other environmental hazards in Kano State through preparedness, early warning systems, community engagement and collaboration with local governments.
The Director-General of NEMA, Mrs. Zubaida Umar, made this announcement at a two-day Emergency Preparedness and Response (EPR) Stakeholders’ Engagement Workshop in Kano.
Umar, represented by the Director of Planning, Research and Forecasting, Dr Onimode Bandele, said the interventions under the EPR programme include evacuation preparedness, infrastructure assessments and collaboration with state ministries of works and housing.
She said the engagement initiative was being implemented in collaboration with the World Bank Group in Nigeria.
According to her, Kano was selected among seven pilot states for the programme due to its vulnerability to flooding during the rainy season.
She explained that the project’s objectives included establishing a robust disaster management infrastructure in every local government area of the pilot states.
“The objective is also to build their capacity, developing a comprehensive volunteer database and advocating for the adoption of Local Emergency Management Committees,” she said.
Umar added that the project aimed to mitigate flooding and other disasters, particularly as Kano was prone to flooding during the rainy season.
“Current predictions indicate potential flooding in rural Nigeria due to heavy rainfall and water releases from upstream dams.
“NEMA is actively working to mitigate this through an early warning system by issuing timely alerts to communities at risk, and by engaging local governments and communities for evacuation and preparedness.
“We are also working on infrastructure assessment in collaboration with the Ministry of Works and Housing,” she said.
Additionally, Mr. Francis Nkoka, Senior Disaster Risk Management Specialist at the World Bank, stated that adequate preparations would significantly reduce the cost of disasters.
Nkoka explained that through the EPR, the World Bank was working with NEMA and the Kano State Government to strengthen institutional capacity, ensure early warning systems translate into timely action and integrate disaster preparedness into the state’s broader development agenda.
“The goal is to strengthen emergency coordination, refine disaster management mechanisms and align implementation strategies across sectors to build resilience for the people and economy of Kano,’’ he said.
Declaring the workshop open, Gov. Abba Yusuf restated his administration’s commitment to policies and programmes that provide practical solutions to disaster management and prevention.
Yusuf, represented by the Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Alhaji Adamu Kibiya, listed some state interventions, including the establishment of new agencies, massive road construction and drainage projects, the procurement of life jackets, and the installation of solar-powered streetlights.
The workshop attracted participants from NEMA, Kano State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) and other key stakeholders in disaster management.
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