The FCT Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has urged residents to desist from indiscriminate waste disposal into water channels and rivers to prevent flood disaster.

Alhaji Abass ldriss, FEMA Director-General, in a statement on Thursday in Abuja also urged residents to guard against building on water ways, river banks and diversion of water channels.

Idriss said that residents have vital role to play as major stakeholders in emergency prevention and mitigation.

He noted that while waiting for Nigerian Hydrological Services Agency detailed outlook on floods for the 2021 rainy season, it was important for residents to join hands and complement efforts to prevent flood disasters.

“As the rainy season sets in FEMA advice residents to prepare for the rains and avoid environmental practices that can lead to flooding in the FCT.

“The agency particularly appeals to residents to desist from indiscriminate waste disposal into water channels and rivers; building on water ways and river banks as well as diverting water channels to prevent flood disaster,’’ he said.

The director-general noted that preparedness and sensitisation remained the key toward reducing disaster to the barest minimum in the FCT.

“Everyone is a stakeholder in this disaster prevention efforts and FEMA has created a high level awareness amongst FCT residents through several media platforms to establish the consciousness of disaster prevention and mitigation rather than management,’’ Idriss said.

He said FEMA, during raining season brought stakeholders together to review and take stock of cause of events, identify gaps and proffer solution to swing into actions.

He further said NIMET had predicted that the Northern part of country should expect rains between May and June while the coastal areas should expect rain from March, which would not last longer in the year.

The FEMA boss said that the FCT Administration was living no stones unturned to ensure no lives  were lost to flood this rainy season, noting that residents also had a role to play.

“If you follow the trend of our response, you will discover that some of the 2019 flood issues did not reoccur in the same locations, except new ones that came up in different locations.

“Locations such as Area 1 and Lokogoma flood issues were taken care of after identifying the obstacles,’’ he said.

Idriss disclosed that FEMA mounted reflective flood warning sign posts at the flash points to sensitise and warn residents from driving or walking into running water.

He advised Agriculture and Extension Officers to sensitise farmers and provide crops that were suitable for the season to avert food insecurity which could also result to serious disaster.

He appealed to all residents that were in distress to call the Toll Free Emergency Number 112 to report any emergency for a quick and prompt response.