KATSINA TARGETS IMPROVED RESPONSE TO FLOOD, CHOLERA EMERGENCIES
Read Time:2 Minute, 16 Second
By: Sunmola Ganiyat
The Katsina State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), the Katsina State Bureau of Statistics, and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) have commenced a three-day stakeholder workshop aimed at strengthening preparedness for flooding and cholera outbreaks ahead of the 2026 rainy season.
The workshop brought together representatives of Emergency Management Committees from all 34 Local Government Areas, alongside officials from relevant ministries, development partners, traditional rulers, and religious leaders.
Declaring the event open in Kano on Tuesday, the Statistician-General of Katsina State, Professor Saifullahi Ibrahim, stressed the need for proactive measures to prevent disasters rather than respond after they occur.
He noted that although the workshop was held in Kano, its focus remained on Katsina State, warning that rainfall had already begun across northern Nigeria.
“We cannot afford to wait for disaster before we act,” he said.
Ibrahim emphasized that flood and cholera response must be integrated across sectors, involving environment, health, water resources, education, and budgeting agencies working in coordination with local emergency committees.
He cited projections from the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), which identified several Katsina LGAs as high-risk areas due to expected rainfall and river discharge patterns.
He also referenced findings from the Bureau’s 2025 WASH survey, which showed that 38 per cent of rural households still depend on unsafe water sources such as unprotected wells and surface water, increasing vulnerability to cholera outbreaks following floods.
According to him, historical data from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and the state Ministry of Health indicate that cholera cases typically rise within two to four weeks after major flood events.
“The data is not predicting if, it is telling us where and when. These three days must help us decide how to respond,” he added.
Ibrahim further announced that the Bureau of Statistics would produce a 2026 Flood and Cholera Vulnerability Atlas ahead of the peak rainy season, along with an early warning dashboard and a post-season impact assessment report.
He said improved planning would help save lives, protect livelihoods, and reduce public expenditure.
Earlier, the Executive Secretary of SEMA, Binta Dangani, described the workshop as timely, noting that flooding continues to threaten lives, infrastructure, and livelihoods across the state.
She said recurrent flood incidents have led to displacement of families, destruction of farmlands, and significant economic losses in several communities.
Dangani added that the expected outcome of the engagement is a comprehensive preparedness plan to improve the state’s ability to anticipate, prevent, mitigate, and respond effectively to flood emergencies.
Flooding remains a recurring challenge in northern Nigeria, often caused by heavy rainfall, poor drainage systems, and rising river levels, with Katsina State frequently experiencing seasonal impacts in rural communities.
Happy
0 %
Sad
0 %
Excited
0 %
Sleepy
0 %
Angry
0 %
Surprise
0 %
0
0