By Our Reporter
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) says 662 people lost their lives to flood in 2022 while 2,430,445 were displaced.
NEMA’s Director General, Mustapha Ahmed, said another 3,174 people suffered various degrees of injuries during the flood disaster.
Speaking in Abuja at the opening ceremony of a one-week strategic executive seminar for staff of the agency, Ahmed said thousands of houses, hectares of farmlands and several critical national assets were also destroyed by the raging floods.
“As we are all aware, this event is taking place in the immediate aftermath of the devastating 2022 flood disaster which is unprecedented in the history of Nigeria. Records indicate that 662 persons have lost their lives,” the NEMA boss said.
“3,174 others have suffered an injury and 2,430,445 individuals have been displaced by the floods. Thousands of houses, hectares of farmlands and several critical national assets were destroyed by the raging floods.”
According to him, the agency, alongside the state governments and other partners, was working towards the long-term recovery of impacted communities across the nation.
He said the agency brought in experts with years of experience working both in the United Kingdom and overseas to support governments and multi-national organisations with disaster and crisis preparedness, response and recovery for the seminar.
The NEMA boss also advised stakeholders in disaster management to take advantage of capacity development opportunities facilitated by the agency to prepare for emerging disaster challenges in the country for proactive risk management and efficient disaster response.
Ahmed explained that NEMA brought in experts to support governments and multi-national organisations with disaster and crisis preparedness, response and recovery for the seminar.