Dr Saleh Jili, Executive Secretary, Kano State Emergency Management Agency(SEMA), says the agency was collaborating with the National Emergency Management Agency(NEMA) in preventing and mitigating incidences of disaster in the state.

Jili, made the disclosure at a press briefing to commemorate the International Day for Disaster Risk Management, in Kano, on Wednesday.

He described the day as a global event marked annually on Oct.13, by the United Nations with the 2021 theme being: “enhancing collaboration cooperation” only together.

The SEMA boss said that the international day for disaster reduction began in 1989 after a call by the United Nations General Assembly for a day to promote a global culture of risk-awareness and disaster reduction.

He added that the day had helped government agencies to keep proper data on various degrees of disaster, to enable the preparation of plans for a remedy or preventions of disasters.

The Kano SEMA had confirmed records of 29 persons killed and 14,244 houses destroyed by flood in 12 Local Government Areas of the state from January to October, he said.

He added that the day created room for data collection, such that “in 2020, 57,362 houses were destroyed, 26 persons lost their lives and 19 persons were injured and that the information was helpful to the government.”

Jili said the benefits of the day’s celebration included making people and communities, around the world, to be aware of the dangers posed by disasters, leading to the right attitudes by people on exposure to disasters and its attendant risks.

The Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NiMet) had predicted flooding, to be caused by heavy rainfall in 25 Local Government Areas of the state, including Bunkure, Minjibir, Tarauni, Doguwa Local Governments, amongst others, according to the SEMA executive secretary.

“We have taken prompt, rapid response, by visiting the affected local government areas to sympathise with the victims on behalf of state government and distributed relief materials as to alleviate their suffering,” he added.

He disclosed  that the state experienced less flooding in 2021, when compared to 2020, due to the information available that helped the agency to ensure less casualties of flood disasters in 2021.

Jili further explained that the agency had also established the State Disaster Management Committee and Technical Committee on disaster management to ensure that adequate attention was accorded to disasters when they occurred in the state.

“The agency has embarked on public enlightenment campaigns on radio, TV, market places and communities across the 44 local government of the state to ensure they clear water ways, to minimise flooding,” he said

He commended  the state Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, for his commitment to the agency which enabled it to achieve huge results in areas of disaster checks and management in the state.

Jili urged the residents to take home benefits of the day’s celebrations, develop good habits about safe environments by freeing the drainage systems in front of their houses to prevent flood, assuring that the  government  and the agency would not relent in their efforts at ensuring the protection of lives and property of the people in times of disaster.

Also, he commended media practitioners in the state for their relentless efforts at information dissemination and campaign against flood disasters and prevention tips offered through radio, TV and the print media. (NAN)