Rivers State is set to overhaul its flood control framework with the creation of a dedicated Emergency Management Agency to replace the existing Central Working Committee on Emergency Preparedness, Flood Management, and Control.
Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral (Rtd) Ibok-Ete Ibas, said the move is part of a wider drive to strengthen the state’s resilience against flooding through early warning systems, pre-flood interventions, and post-disaster recovery plans.
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Speaking through the Secretary to the State Government, Professor Ibibia Lucky Worika, at a sensitisation campaign held in Obi Wali centre, Port Harcourt, Ibas revealed that the government is partnering with the Federal Government and international organisations to mobilise resources for advanced flood management systems.
He urged a shift from reactive disaster responses to proactive planning, including mapping high-risk areas, enforcing environmental laws, and curbing harmful practices such as dumping waste in drains and building on flood plains.
He highlighted that flooding is not a problem government can tackle alone, calling for active collaboration between public agencies, communities, civil society, and private investors.
