BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja
The Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) has formed a strategic alliance with Environmental Media Correspondents Association of Nigeria (EMCAN) to improve public awareness on environmental health, water resources management, flood forecasting, early warning systems and other hydrological issues affecting Nigerians.
Director-General of NIHSA, Arch Umar Muhammed stated this when the Executive Council of EMCAN led by its Chairman, Joycelyn Ellekeche Adah paid a courtesy visit to the agency’s management in Abuja.
Muhammed, who disclosed the importance of stronger collaboration between the agency and the media in disseminating critical information to the public, stated that the media remained an important partner in helping the agency reach vulnerable communities with timely and accurate information, particularly on early warnings and water-related risks.
He said: “Effective management of water resources is critical to preventing water scarcity, contamination and outbreaks of water-related diseases. If you do not have a good Environment and manage water resources, one day you wake up and you’d be shocked with what you see. Either you totally run out of water or you have no clean water.”
Muhammed cautioned against poor environmental management and contamination of water sources, which could pose serious public health consequences, while contributing significantly to the pollution of streams and other water bodies.
The NIHSA boss informed that the agency needed organisations such as EMCAN to interface with the public and ensure that quality information on water resources and early warning systems reaches the intended residents.
Special Assistant on Media to NIHSA, Mr Yakub Aliyu harped on the importance of closer collaboration with environmental journalists, particularly in the areas of publicity and capacity building.
He said that NIHSA required greater visibility to enable Nigerians to understand the agency’s mandate and appreciate the importance of hydrological information in preventing disasters.
Aliyu stated that Nigeria faces both water scarcity and excess water challenges, including flooding, while contamination of water sources remains another major concern, adding that the contamination of streams and other water sources through human activities could increase the risk of diseases and other public health challenges.
He expressed the agency’s interest in partnering with EMCAN on specialised training programmes that equips journalists with the technical knowledge required to accurately report hydrological and environmental issues.
Technical Adviser to the Director-General of NIHSA, Mr. Stephen Jabo called for stronger collaboration between the agency and the media to improve public awareness of its activities, particularly the Annual Flood Outlook.
Jabo said that the agency’s work on water and land management directly affects Nigerians, but remains largely unknown to the public due to inadequate publicity and urged media organisations, especially environmental reporters, to liaise closely with NIHSA’s press unit, participate in its programmes and help disseminate critical information on flooding and other water-related issues to communities across the country.
He stated that effective media coverage would make the agency more visible and enable Nigerians to better understand and benefit from its activities.
The newly elected Chairman of EMCAN, Joycelyn Ellekeche Adah formally informed the NIHSA management of its plans to cover the 31st Conference of the Parties (COP31), scheduled to hold in Türkiye.
She appealed to NIHSA to support the association’s participation in the global climate conference, particularly through sponsorship for two to three members who are considered to represent the association.
Adah explained that EMCAN had already commenced efforts to raise funds to facilitate the participation of its members but was seeking support from relevant government agencies and environmental organisations.
The EMCAN delegation explained that many of its members also cover the environment and frequently report issues relating to water, climate change, flooding and environmental protection.
On EMCAN’s request for sponsorship, the DG explained that NIHSA, as a Federal Government agency, operates within a statutory funding framework.
He said that the agency is already collaborating with international development partners and would explore opportunities that could potentially accommodate additional participation.
The meeting ended with both parties reaffirming their commitment to a mutually beneficial partnership that would ultimately help Nigerians better understand and respond to water-related and environmental risks.
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