Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo state started a group of 135 people called Local Emergency Management Committees (LEMCs). Their job is to help the state be ready for floods and respond quickly when disasters happen.
The LEMCs have five people from each of the 27 local government areas in Imo state.
At a two-day training in Owerri, Governor Uzodimma said his government will keep working hard to manage emergencies and disasters in the state.
The governor was not there in person but sent Chief Cosmas Iwu, the Secretary to the State Government, to speak for him. He said that the state already has emergency teams, and now they are making similar teams in each local area because disasters often happen there.
He added that they don’t want to wait for disasters to happen before taking action. The committees will watch the environment closely so they can act early to stop problems.
Mr. Wilson Brandon, the South-East Director of NEMA (National Emergency Management Agency), praised Imo state for being the first in the South-East and South-South regions to create these local emergency teams.
Brandon said the law says every state should have these committees.
He said the committees are very important because local people usually respond first to disasters before the police, ambulance, or fire service arrive.
Mr. Ikenna Adikibe, the Chairman of Oru West Local Government Area, thanked Governor Uzodimma for leading with a vision and caring about the safety of the people.
He said that starting and training these committees shows that the governor is serious about protecting lives and preparing communities for disasters.
He promised that all local government leaders will support the program.
He also said the training will give committee members the knowledge and tools they need to prevent and handle disasters well.
Mr. Odoemenam Onyemaechi, Acting Permanent Secretary to the State Government, said the committees aim to bring disaster management closer to the people.
He explained that the committees will involve the community, find risks, reduce dangers, and work together with state agencies.
In an interview, Mr. Nnamdi Igwe, NEMA’s Head of Operations for Imo and Abia, said the LEMCs will spread disaster awareness by working with local groups like town unions, youth and women leaders, and religious and traditional rulers.
Igwe added that the committees will help send disaster information from local areas to the state emergency agency and then to NEMA.
He said the committee members will get training and be given tools like fire blankets, fire extinguishers, first aid kits, and reflective jackets so people can recognize them easily.
He said the members are expected to teach what they learn to people in their communities.
Also, Corps members (youth volunteers) in the communities will get training.
The two-day event will include lectures and training sessions for the committee members.
The event’s theme is “Flood warning preparedness and disaster management in Imo State for critical stakeholders and local emergency management committee.”
