Abia State government has inaugurated the State Flood Alert Sensitisation Committee in response to the 2025 Annual Flood Outlook, AFO, report released by the Nigerian Hydrological Services Agency, NIHSA and Nigerian Meteorological Agency, NiMET.
The 2025 AFO report identified Aba North, Isiala Ngwa North, Isiala Ngwa South, Isuikwuato, Ukwa East, Ukwa West, Umuahia North, Umuahia South and Arochukwu LGAs of Abia State as high-risk areas for flooding.
Inaugurating the committee in Umuahia, Abia State Commissioner for Environment, Philemon Asonye Ogbonna said that the Ministry of Environment is collaborating with the State Emergency Management Agency, SEMA, and other key disaster management stakeholders in the proactive task.
He said that the committee would launch aggressive flood awareness sensitization campaign across the nine flood-prone LGAs in the state.
The multi-agency committee comprises representatives from the Ministry of Environment, Abia State Emergency Management Agency, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps.
Others agencies are Abia State Department of Homeland Security, Nigerian Red Cross Society, Nigerian Fire Service and the Abia State Orientation Agency.
The sensitisation campaign, scheduled to run from August 4 to 19, 2025, aims to improve community preparedness and flood response strategies, conduct emergency education, drills and simulation exercises.
It would also identify and strengthen community-based first responders, locate and mark safer grounds for potential evacuation and educate the public on proper drainage maintenance and desilting practices.
