By Mmaduabuchi Onwumelu
The executive chamber of the Anambra State Government, Awka, was a beehive of activities on 30th January 2025, as the Government of Japan, through the initiative “Emergency Support to Climate Change” in partnership with the United Nations Office for Project Services, donated multi-million Naira flood detection equipment, vehicles, truck to Anambra State in response to the impact of the 2022 flood that ravaged many local government areas.
Handing over the emergency support for climate disasters to the Anambra State Government, the Chargé d’Affaires of the Embassy of Japan in Nigeria, Hitoshi Kozaki, said the exercise, funded by the Japanese Government and implemented by UNOPS, was aimed at mitigating the devastating effects of climate disasters in Anambra State.
Hitoshi stated that the equipment, which includes operational vehicles, laptops, and other digital gadgets to detect rising flood levels in the state, was designed to provide necessary information about disasters and how to control them.
He noted that the Japanese government provided funding for the Anambra State Government through SEMA in 2024 to strengthen its capacity and logistics. The support includes vehicles, a truck, ICT equipment, GPS vehicle trackers, and flood detection devices.
Commending the Anambra State government for its persistence and determination in seeking assistance in climate disaster management, he expressed optimism that the emergency support would help the state navigate the prevalence of flooding and other climate-related disasters
He said the equipment, which includes two Hilux vans, five Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs), and flood detection gadgets, were provided to aid the state, particularly in the eight local government areas most affected by flooding and other disasters.
Appiah explained that the programme, which commenced in 2023, was designed to provide systematic support to Anambra State in the proactive management of climate disasters by supplying logistics and operational vehicles for rapid disaster response.
Funded by the Government of Japan and implemented by UNOPS, he lamented the bottlenecks in fully executing the programme, particularly delays in clearing the vehicles.
In her remarks, the UNOPS Director, Ghana Multi-Country Office, Ifeoma Charles-Monwube, described the initiative as a significant project offering solutions to climate disasters in Anambra State.
She expressed concern over the effects of flooding in various local government areas and hoped that the emergency support would help the state navigate the challenges posed by climate disasters.
Earlier, in her welcome address, Anambra State Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Mrs Chiamaka Nnake, stated that the state government sought the help of the Japanese Government through the UNOPS programme to assist in the early detection and proactive management of flooding.
She noted that the provision of operational logistics, especially vehicles and trucks, would enable the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) to respond to disasters promptly before assistance from larger agencies.
Governor Chukwuma Soludo, represented by his deputy, Dr Onyekachukwu Ibezim, thanked the Japanese Government and UNOPS for their assistance to the state.
Ibezim noted that Anambra is a small state in terms of landmass, yet faces significant challenges due to erosion, with over 35% of its land affected.
‘Because of climate change, we have issues with flooding, as it occurs frequently. We have eight to nine local government areas affected by floods, and these areas are crucial to our Agricultural Revolution. The flood devastates these Agricultural Regions. We have immediate, short-term, and long-term plans, with the immediate plan focused on evacuating people from affected areas.’
He further called on the Federal Government to expedite action in constructing new dams across the country to mitigate the impact of flooding, which, he said, continues to pose serious challenges for the state.
‘It enables the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) to respond to disasters promptly before assistance from larger agencies.’
