Flood attracts emergency security meeting in Anambra with Obiano heading

www.odogwublog.com reports that Governor Willie Obiano on Thursday held an emergency Security Council meeting with security agencies and other stakeholders including State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), and local government council chairmen in the State.

Also in the meeting which held at the Executive Council Chambers of Government House were the Commanding Officer (Army Engineering Corps, Comptroller of Immigration Anambra state Command, Director of State Security Service (DSSS, Sector Commander, Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Commander of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, (NDLEA),among others. 

Addressing newsmen shortly after the meeting, the State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Hosea Karma said the meeting was called in view of the flood alert and over-flooding already being witnessed in some parts of the country.

Karma explained that the meeting was anticipatory and  aimed at ensuring that adequate planning measures were taken to ensure the safety and security of lives and property of the people at the riverine areas of the State.

The State government had in a release signed by the State Commissioner for Information  Culture and Tourism, Dr. Mrs. Uju Nwogu informed the people of Anambra, especially those living in riverine communities of Anambra East and West, Ayamelum, Onitsha North and South, Awka North, Ekwusigo, Ogbaru,  Idemili South and Ihiala Local Government Areas that recent predictions by the Nigerian Meteorological  Agency,NIMET, that flooding may occur between the months of September and October this  year is almost certain.

In the statement, Nwogu noted that some communities in Idemili North council area and other Local government Areas which were not affected by the 2012 flooding in the state now face the danger of being flooded.

She explained that those who reside in riverine communities who are observant would notice that the streams and rivers surrounding their areas have started to rise and would continue to rise with the rate at which this year’s rainfall is already coming.

“To this end, government has continued to call on residents of areas likely to be affected especially children, the elderly and the physically-challenged persons to start moving out immediately to stay with their relations residing in the upland or other safe areas.

“The state government also pleaded  with those living in the upland areas to accommodate the likely to be displaced persons as they come”, the statement said, and called on philanthropists and other well- meaning citizens of the state to support government activities in this direction by donating  basic amenities and household property in support of this project.

She said government has made arrangements to provide life jackets and other basic amenities like mattresses, sweaters, blankets, lanterns, food stuffs, buckets and other household needs.

According to her, government has further provided life- saving ambulances with well trained medical personnel, vehicles and boats to convey likely displaced persons to the designated camps, saying that adequate arrangements have been made in designated Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps, located in headquarters of the likely areas for safety.