MEDA collaborates BASEPA, engages Stakeholders on flood disaster preparedness, response in Bauchi
Samuel Luka, Bauchi
An organization known as Mennonite Economic Development Associates (MEDA) has in collaboration with the Bauchi State Environmental Protection Agency (BASEPA), State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) engaged Stakeholders from flood prone local government areas of the state in a round table to discussion on ways to mitigate the impact of flooding.
The Stakeholders who were drawn from Bauchi, Kirfi, Shira, Gamawa, Itas-Gadau, Zaki, Warji and Jama’are observed that recent floods have let to lost of residential buildings, farm lands and other properties worth millions of Naira.
Speaking during the meeting, the Director General of the Bauchi State Environmental Protection Agency (BASEPA), Dr. Ibrahim Kabir said that the present administration in the state under Governor Bala Mohammed is highly concerned about environment.
“We are now in the rainy season and there are a lot of environmental problems associated to this season. We invited the Stakeholders and all of them mentioned here that we want to have like a two way traffic of discussion about flooding”, he said.
Dr. Kabir said Governor Bala Mohammed had following the receipt of report from NIMET directed that all the Stakeholders across eight local government areas the state be invited to a round table discussion towards containing the impending flooding in the eight LGs.
He said, in the cause of the discussion, a lot of information were received that will guide the government on what should be done to address the challenges.
“I think one of the suggestion from one of the professionals particularly from environmental head officers council is that we should revive the issue of community inspectors”, he said.
The DG who said that the agency will ensure adequate sensitization for the 56 communities identified as flood prone areas about how to use the environment, pleaded with the state Commissioner of housing and environment to champion the revival of community inspectors.
“Not only talking about the environment or the significance it is going to make, but I believe we have so many graduates, we have so many professionals in the environmental sector, environmental health with diplomas and HNDs that may likely be employed if we are to revive this sector”, Dr. Kabir said.
“So I think if there is any take home that we need to take is the issue of revival of this sector which I believe is going to solve more than 70 percent of environmental problems in the state”, the DG predicted.