The Director-General, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Alhaji Mohammed Sani-Sidi, has urged Nigerians not to play with any warning alert issued by the agency or the Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NIMET), especially on flooding.

NIMET has predicted heavy rain falls in some parts of the country, alerting Nigerians to be prepared to forestall flooding as witnessed in the past.

Sani-Sidi spoke through the Zonal Coordinator, Minna Operations Office of NEMA, Mr. Slaku Lugard, during a one-day comprehensive disaster management workshop organised by the Minna Operations Office of the agency, held in Ilorin.

The workshop was organised for Christian and Muslim clerics, as well as community leaders and corps members in Kwara State.

Sani-Sidi, who regretted recent flooding that occurred in some parts of Kwara State, said the workshop was part of the efforts of NEMA to sensitise the public to be proactive in disaster management.

Sani-Sidi, in his own address, explained that disaster management should be seen as part and parcel of development initiatives.

He said: "It protects and safeguards economic interests and development gains, among others. Therefore it is imperative that we ensure that we have viable state and local emergency management agencies/communities to promote grassroots resilience and facilitate spontaneous response to disasters whenever they occur in our communities", he said.

He lamented that the response at local government and state levels "still has more to be desired".

"My humble appeal to my dear people of Kwara State is that disaster management must be taken as an integral part of development efforts considering its peculiar positions in Nigeria", he added.