The Nasarawa State Emergency Management Agency (NASEMA) on Tuesday said it has rectivated it’s emergency hot lines across the 13 Local Government Areas of the state to enable flood-prone communities to alert the agency of any impending flood ahead of the rainy season.

The Director-General of NASEMA, Barr. Benjamin Akwash, who disclosed this at a press briefing in Lafia, said the action was a deliberate step taken by the agency in preparedness, rapid response in the event of flood disaster across the state.

He disclosed that the agency was partnering with the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the Red Cross Society, in disseminating regular weather updates and sensitising communities about early warning signs for flood mitigation.

Barr Akwash disclosed that the agency has trained local emergency committee Volunteers in the 13local goverment Areas on First Aid, Search and Rescue, and disaster risk reduction, headed by a vice chairman in the council for emergency preparedness.

“We reduced the average response time to flood and fire incidents from 48 hours to 24 hours across the 13 local government Areas of the state

“We are working in partnership with NEMA, the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons, the International Organisation for Migrants (OM), Red Cross to provide relief materials for victims of disasters and to share resources and expertise”, he added

The NASEMA boss disclosed that the agency had spent over N200million to resettle four communities in Toto, Doma, Giza, Mama and Jibel hit by the recent communal clashes and windstorm.

Akwash stated that the milestone achieved was a clear reflection of Governor Abdullahi Sule’s directive to protect lives and restore confidence in communities hit by either natural occurrences or communal clashes in the state.