The Abia State Ministry of Environment, State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) and other key disaster management stakeholders, will flag-off a comprehensive two-week flood awareness and sensitisation campaign from August 4 to August 19, 2025.
This was disclosed in a press release signed by Mrs. Obioma Success Chidinma, Public Relations Officer of the Ministry of Environment. The campaign is a proactive response to the 2025 Annual Flood Outlook (AFO) issued by the Nigerian Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) and the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMET), which predicted high flood risks across several regions in the country, including Abia State.
The campaign aims to improve flood preparedness, community resilience, and emergency response capacity across vulnerable areas of the state. Activities lined up include public sensitisation, flood safety drills, emergency simulations, desilting education, and identification of evacuation points. It will also focus on strengthening community-based first responders and promoting proper drainage maintenance practices.
According to the statement, the high flood-risk local government areas in Abia State as identified by the 2025 AFO include; Aba North, Isiala Ngwa North, Isiala Ngwa South, Isuikwuato, Ukwa East, Ukwa West, Umuahia North, Umuahia South and Arochukwu (least probable but still at risk)
To coordinate the campaign, the Commissioner for Environment, Mr. Philemon Asonye Ogbonna, on July 25, 2025, inaugurated the Abia State Flood Alert Sensitisation Multi-Agency Committee. The committee comprises representatives from the Abia Ministry of Environment, Abia State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Abia State Department of Homeland Security, Nigerian Red Cross Society, Nigerian Fire Service and Abia State Orientation Agency.
