FEMA working to forestall flood disaster in FCT communities
By Taofeek Lawal, Abuja
The Federal Capital Territory Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), has said it is intensifying efforts to prevent flood disaster in the Federal Capital Territory especially communities in Kwali Area Council affected by flood in 2020.
The Deputy Director, Forecasting Response and Mitigation, FEMA, Mrs Florence Wenegieme, on Monday led a team from various agencies to assess flood-prone areas in the communities and commended the Federal Government for reconstructing the bridge washed away by flood in 2020. She said FEMA had carried out an aggressive sensitisation campaign in the areas concerned while adding that her agency has covered almost 25 communities in the area council.
Wenegieme however cautioned farmers against farming activities in flood-prone areas and advised them against farming on river banks and erecting buildings on water ways.
She said, “We are here in Kwali Area Council at Dafa and Tunga communities. In 2020, the bridge that linked the two and other communities was washed away by flood and the members of the communities were crossing the bridge with the help of our Local Diverse. Because the bridge was completely cut off and the two communities and host of others that were using the bridge were completely cut off and farmers couldn’t move their products to urban centres. We earlier came here for assessment and we saw what happened and compiled our reports, after that the government promised that something will be done.”
”We are approaching the rainy season or rather the rains has started and that is why we come here on assessment to know the condition and position of the bridge that link the various communities in Kwali Area Council so that we know what we can do for members of this community when the rains become very heavy. We are here in continuation of joint assessment of flood prone areas in the Federal Capital Territory, which we started on March 31, 2021. We are glad to see that something is done as we are here on assessment again and we realised that the Federal Government has intervened. You can see that the bridge is almost completed and we say kudos to the government,” the director added.
Engineer Abba Nasiru, whose company is handling the bridge project, said the work was about to be completed.
”Actually, the work is on and we are about to complete it. As you can see we have laid the asphalt work, we are just waiting for some finishing touches like the shoulders and the rest. Before we moved in to start the project the situation was terrible because this place by the left hand side was seriously eroded.
