Olusegun Adeyemo
The Imo State government has inaugurated 135 members of Local Government Emergency Management Committees (LGEMCs) to strengthen disaster response, particularly during flooding.
The responders, drawn from all 27 local government areas, five representatives each, were officially unveiled in Owerri on Wednesday after a two-day intensive training session.
Mr. Nnamdi Igwe, Head of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) for Abia and Imo States, explained that the initiative would ensure quicker interventions in flood and environmental emergencies, especially in remote areas.
According to Igwe, the LGEMC members have been equipped with fire blankets, extinguishers, reflective jackets, first aid kits, and other basic tools to support immediate responses before federal or state experts arrive.
“The LGEMCs will replicate NEMA’s work at the grassroots,” Igwe said. “This structure will speed up interventions, especially in hinterland communities. We are also training youth corps members to expand emergency management coverage across the country.”
He noted that the LGEMC model would eventually be replicated across all 36 states to improve nationwide disaster preparedness.
While urging the newly trained responders to take their assignment seriously, Igwe appealed to residents of Imo State to cooperate by promptly reporting emergencies.
“With these 135 responders, communities will receive faster attention in times of disaster. But the public must support us with timely information so that lives are saved and irreversible injuries prevented,” he added.