Peak rainy season: FEMD, NEMA step up flood mitigation campaigns in FCT

By Stanley Onyekwere

As the rainy season reaches its peak across the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), emergency management agencies and key stakeholders have intensified efforts to prevent flood-related disasters, calling for proactive collaboration to protect lives and property.
The call was emphasized during a one-day stakeholders engagement on National Disaster preparedness and response campaign 2026.
At the the FCT Emergency Management Department (FEMD) said that weather forecasts indicate that communities in flood prone areas are at high risk.
This was disclosed on Wednesday in a statement from Head Public Affairs of FEMD, Nkechi Isa.
The Head of Forecasting Response and Mitigation, Dr. Mark Nyam appealed to the stakeholders to come up with measures to prevent the loss of life and property this rainy season.
Also speaking, the Head NEMA Abuja Operations Office, Mr Zakari Abubakar said the agency has rolled several measures to mitigate the impact of flooding across the country.
“Our intervention focuses on prevention, preparation, response and support to ensure recovery,” he said.
He urged FEMD to cascade the campaign to the grassroots and communities residing along the river banks.
In a contribution, the director department of development control, Tpl Bashir Madaki, called for water way implementation to reduce flooding in the FCT.
Participants at the meeting visited flood prone locations in Mabushi and Lokogoma districts.
The National Orientation Agency (NOA), Nigeria Red Cross, FCT Fire Service and FCDA attended the Stakeholders meeting.
In a related development, the FEMD has taken its preparedness and sensitization campaigns against flooding to Gwagwalada area council.
Addressing palace officials, the Head Forecasting,
Response and Mitigation, Dr. Mark Nyam blamed human activities for flooding in the Territory.
He dismissed claims linking flooding in Gwagwalada to dam activities.
He said: “Disaster is localized. The attitude of some of our people worsens the situation.
“Do not dump refuse in the drainage system and do not build on the water channel.”
Most of the district and village heads who spoke at the occasion blamed the indiscriminate dumping of refuse in the Council on absence of a dump site.
They also want strict enforcement of extant laws to ensure environmental sanitation.
In a remark, the Aguma of Gwagwalada, Alhaji Mohammed Magaji said that the message would be cascaded to the district,ward and village heads as well as religious leaders.
Represented by the Waziri Gwagwalada, Alhaji Bala Garba Madaki, the Aguma described the visit as important , pledging the commitment of his cabinet to encourage people who reside by the river bank to relocate to higher ground.