Abia State Intensifies Flood Preparedness Campaign: Aba North Hosts Alert Team, Stakeholders Rally for Action

In a proactive effort to tackle the growing threat of flooding in Abia State, the 2025 Abia State Flood Alert Team on Wednesday, August 6, 2025, took its sensitization campaign to Aba North Local Government Area. The initiative, approved by Governor Alex Chioma Otti, is part of a state-wide strategy aimed at protecting lives, infrastructure, and livelihoods from the projected flood risks.

The team was warmly received at the Council Headquarters in Eziama-Aba by the Executive Chairman of Aba North, Hon. Timothy Kalu Iheke, who welcomed the delegation led by Mr. Ikechukwu C. Oriuwa, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Environment. Also accompanying the team were officials from the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the Nigerian Red Cross, the Fire Service, and the Abia State Orientation Agency (ABSOA).

The sensitization event featured an interactive session involving community leaders, traditional rulers, youth representatives, environmental health officers, and security personnel. Stakeholders discussed disaster preparedness and exchanged practical ideas to improve flood response mechanisms.

Hon. Iheke emphasized the seriousness of the situation by referencing recent severe flooding in Lagos, urging local residents not to underestimate the threat. He called for the identification of high-risk communities within Aba North, highlighting the Ovom area as a previously neglected zone now revived under Governor Otti’s administration.

“I almost sold my property there,” he noted, “but thanks to the Governor’s intervention, landlords and businesses are thriving again.”

The Chairman pledged to step up environmental clean-up efforts and enforce public sensitization, particularly in market areas like Ariaria. He also vowed to ensure consistent compliance with flood mitigation practices among traders and residents.

Speaking at the event, Mr. Oriuwa said the team’s mission was in response to a NiMet warning that Abia is among states at risk of extreme rainfall and flooding. He praised Governor Otti for promptly setting up the alert team, stating, “To be forewarned is to be forearmed.”

Mr. Ike Chris, Director of Climate Change in the Ministry, confirmed that Aba North is among the flood-prone areas identified by NiMet and NIHSA. He stressed that, although flooding is a natural hazard, human activities such as blocked drainage and improper waste disposal significantly worsen its impact.

Lady Ure Abazie, Director-General of ABSOA, urged residents to avoid unnecessary movement during storms and to report environmentally harmful practices. Other speakers included:

Mr. Ogbonnaya John, Abia Fire Service: Cautioned against electrical hazards during floods.

AC Onuegbu Alphonsus, NSCDC: Warned against refuse dumping in drainage systems.

Mr. Joshua Ohabuiro Onyebuchi, SEMA: Provided guidelines on accessing relief materials and the importance of early reporting.


To aid the campaign, sensitization materials were handed over to Hon. Iheke for distribution across the local government’s communities and marketplaces.

Other dignitaries present included Prof. Ijeoma Iheukwumere, SSA to the Governor on Environment; Hon. Frank Alaribe, Aba North LGA Secretary; the Council’s Head of Service; Mrs. Uloma Ugwunba, Head of Environmental Health; and various traditional rulers.

The Aba North visit is part of a comprehensive, state-wide flood awareness initiative driven by Governor Otti’s administration—a clear demonstration of its commitment to proactive governance and public safety.