NiMet forecast: Group urges flood preparedness, community sensitisation, climate resilience – EnviroNews

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The Abia State Government, governments across the South-East, relevant federal agencies, local government councils, traditional institutions, community leaders, civil society organisations, and citizens have been urged to urgently strengthen flood preparedness and climate adaptation measures following the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) forecast of increased rainfall and thunderstorms across several parts of the country.

The call was made by the Foundation for Environmental Rights, Advocacy and Development (FENRAD), an environmental campaign group, which noted that the forecast should not be viewed merely as a weather advisory but as an important early warning that demands coordinated action to reduce the devastating impacts of flooding, which have become increasingly frequent due to climate change.

The organisation submitted that many communities in Abia State and across the South-East remain vulnerable because of blocked drainage systems, poor waste management practices, unregulated physical development, inadequate public awareness, and weak investment in climate-resilient infrastructure.

In a statement endorsed by Comrade Nelson Nnanna Nwafor, FENRAD Executive Director, the group stated: “Flood disasters are no longer isolated incidents. They are becoming a recurring consequence of climate change and environmental mismanagement. Every warning issued by NiMet must be treated as a call to action.

“Governments at all levels should prioritize prevention, preparedness, and community resilience instead of waiting to respond after lives and property have been lost.”

FENRAD specifically urges the Abia State Government and other South-East states to:

1. Activate emergency preparedness and flood response mechanisms in identified flood-prone communities.
2. Intensify public enlightenment campaigns through radio, television, social media, community town hall meetings, schools, churches, markets, and traditional institutions to ensure residents understand flood risks and appropriate safety measures.
3. Strengthen collaboration between the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), State Emergency Management Agencies (SEMAs), local governments, and community-based organizations to ensure timely dissemination of early warning information.
4. Immediately clear blocked drains, waterways, culverts, and erosion channels, particularly in urban centres such as Umuahia, Aba, Ohafia, Arochukwu, and other flood-prone communities.
5. Enforce environmental sanitation laws and urban planning regulations to discourage indiscriminate waste disposal and construction on natural waterways and floodplains.
6. Invest in climate-smart infrastructure, erosion control projects, watershed restoration, tree planting, and other nature-based solutions that reduce flood risks and strengthen ecosystem resilience.
7. Establish and strengthen community-based disaster risk management committees equipped to coordinate preparedness, early response, evacuation, and recovery efforts.

FENRAD further emphasised that sustained environmental education and community sensitization are essential to building resilient communities. It called on residents to adopt environmentally responsible practices, keep drainage channels free of refuse, report blocked waterways to relevant authorities, and strictly adhere to official weather advisories during periods of heavy rainfall.

The organisation also calls on development partners, the private sector, academic institutions, youth groups, and community associations to support initiatives that promote climate adaptation, disaster risk reduction, environmental sustainability, and resilience-building at the grassroots level.

“Climate change is not a distant threat—it is a present reality affecting our communities.

Building resilience requires collective responsibility, forward-looking policies, adequate investment, and active citizen participation.

Together, we can reduce the impacts of flooding and create safer, healthier, and more sustainable communities for present and future generations.

FENRAD reaffirms its commitment to advancing environmental justice, promoting climate action, strengthening community resilience, and supporting policies that protect both people and ecosystems across Abia State, the South-East, and Nigeria as a whole.