NEMA Flags off Sensitization on Waste Management
By Chris Nyamtu
National Emergency Management Agency NEMA has commenced sensitization on proper waste management and flood Preparedness in the North Central Geopolitical Zone of the country.
Addressing stakeholders during a one day workshop in Lafia the Nasarawa State capital, the Zonal Coordinator of NEMA North Central, Mr. Eugene Lous Nyelong stressed the need for continuous Capacity development of communities to respond accurately to flood early warnings.
Mr Nyelong stated that community leaders and grassroots based civil society organizations had greater roles to play in the area of town hall meetings and door to door engagements with the people to step down weather predictions and forecast for prompt action.
He noted that the federal government was committed to adopting new measures towards mitigating the impacts of climate change especially flooding considering the effects on agriculture and other critical areas of the nation’s economy.
” Communities across the country have continued to record colossal loss of lives and property due to flooding. This is slowing the drive towards economic prosperity. As major stakeholders, we need to step up collaboration and take ownership of our environment, ” he said.
In a paper presentation entitled” The Need for Waste Management Policies in the country” a Chief Geologist with the National Environmental Standards and Enforcement Agency NESREA, Mr Atede Abraham Uwodi, called on government at all levels to create designate sites for dumping of refuse as part measures toward checking indiscriminate blocking of water ways.
A facilitator at the workshop Mr Ilya Adeka emphasized the need for the Government to strengthen relevant agencies for the enforcement of environmental laws .
“most communities have continued to engage in activities that are capable of degrading the environment despite the government’s policies. People record losses of property and lives as a result of their insistence to live around river rine areas. The government needs to adopt decisive measures to enforce the laws against such acts,” Mr Adeka pointed out.
As part of the sensitization workshop, the NEMA Zonal Coordinator Mr. Eugene Nyelong led the stakeholders to some major markets in Lafia the Nasarawa State capital to distribute flyers to traders bearing the message to protect the environment.
