COMMUNICATION IN NATURAL DISASTER MANAGEMENT: A STUDY OF 2005 FLOOD RISK AWARENESS CAMPAIGN AMONG THE RESIDENTS OF JALINGO METROPOLIS
Abstract
This   study  examined   the   communication   channels   employed   by   Taraba   State Government before, during and after 2005 flood disaster in Jalingo metropolis. The major communication strategies used were identified and their effectiveness evaluated on the affected communities. The study was premised on risk communication theory and survey, in-depth-interview and Focus Group Discussion methods were employed to obtain the data. The Findings show that Radio, television, newspapers and magazines were the major channels of communication used by Taraba State Government. Among these  communication  channels  Radio  was   found  to  be  the  major  channel  of communication through which quick campaign warning messages were sent to the people at risk. Likewise, the study found that communication strategies used by Taraba State Government before, during and after flood disaster on risk campaign awareness are advocacy visit to the flooded communities and door-to-door strategies. Against this background  door-to-door  communication  is  considered  a  very  good  medium  for communicating disaster information in the studied area. Finally the study recommends that the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) be more effectively funded and equipped  with  state  of  the  arts  equipment’s  to  meet  national/international  disaster response  standards,  so  that  it  can  more  effectively  respond  to  the  ever  changing challenges on natural disaster management.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the study
Nigeria like most other countries of the world is faced with increasing threat of natural disasters from flooding epidemic. In the last three decades, the impact of flooding  have  increasingly  assumed  from  significant  to  threating  proportion. Resulting in loss of lives, collapse of buildings/bridges destroyed farmlands, causing water shortages, affecting human health among other.  The case is similar in Taraba state, the 2005 flood disaster have serious social and economic impacts on the community. Flood disaster affects people’s lives and livelihoods in many ways; according to  Bantaje (2005) about one hundred (100) people were feared dead during the flood, particularly during the collapse of the Nukkai Bridge.
While Taraba Television (TTV) reported that property worth millions of Naira were destroy in the August 7th, 2005 flood, farmlands running into thousands hectares of land were destroyed. It was also reported that the rainfall drowned several people that were on the bridge when the bridge was submerged by the flood. About twenty six   (26)  bodies  were  recovered  which  includes  the  body  of  an  Assistant Commissioner of Police who died in the case of persuading victims to vacate the bridge. Although Jalingo town is exposed to flood every year but 2005 and 2011 is more severe; flood occurrence is always associated with topography of the area which is an undulating plain interrupted in place by low rising hills and traversed by two different rivers as well as the poor/inadequate drainage network within the town. This has been a source of worry and challenge to the government at various levels.   Ochongor   and   Konye   in   Tsegyu   (2015)   report   on   the   impact   of communication plays as a major role in the enlightenment and education of the populace about the menace of disaster either to accept or reject any government initiative or programme. As such Mass Media no doubt, is the fulcrum on which awareness campaign on the menace of natural disaster (flood) is disseminated to the target audience. At all times, members of the public need to be aware of the realities of their environment and what happens within the environment attaining this desire is the whole essence of public enlightenment. Communication is the means by which the public are linked to the updates in the society. For this to be successfully achieved the citizenry should be kept abreast of the goings-on in the society. One of the ways of achieving this is through public enlightenment. Public enlightenment enables the public to know their right, obligations and duties among other things. For public enlightenment to be effective, the source must address the issues through appropriate content, message structure and effective delivery.
1.2    Statement of Research Problem
Natural disasters come without warning and they cause widespread devastation like economic damage and loss of thousands of human lives globally. For instance in Jalingo metropolis, the 2005 flood disaster has caused extensive socio-economic dislocation with catastrophic consequences ranging from loss of lives and destruction of human habitation, Agricultural produce, water resources, terrestrial ecosystem, and biodiversity and affecting human health among others. Nevertheless, a study conducted in Jalingo metropolis by Oruonye (2012) Showed that only 23.7% of the respondents were aware of the flood prone nature of the study area. Based on the aforementioned, this study set out  to  assess the communication strategies  employed by Taraba State Government through its agencies like SEMA; in risk awareness campaign among the residents of Jalingo  metropolis.  Based  on  this,  this  study  set  to  investigate  and  assess  he communication  strategies  employed  by  the  Taraba  State  Government  through  its Emergency Management Agency, (SEMA), with the bid to promoting awareness among Jalingo  residents.  Such  communication  strategies  include;  Radio/Television  jingles, door-to-door, interpersonal visitation. So this study would assess the efficacy of these communication strategies as it relates to the risk awareness campaign and possible mitigations of flood in Jalingo metropolis.
1.3    Aim and Objectives of the Study
The aim of this study is to assess the risk strategies used in awareness campaign for flood prone area in Taraba State using Jalingo metropolis before, during and after the 2005 flood disaster. The specific objectives are to:
i.    Identify   the   communication   channels   employed   by   Taraba   State Government before, during and after the 2005 flood disaster.
ii.    To  know  the  major  communication  strategy  used  by  Taraba  State Government before, during and after the 2005 flood disaster.
iii.    Assess  the  effectiveness  of  these  communication  strategies  on  the Affected communities.
1.4    Research Questions
The following research questions were further formulated from the research objectives:
i.    What types of communication channels were employed by Taraba State Government before, during and after the 2005 flood disaster?
ii.    Which were the major communication strategies used by Taraba State Government before, during and after the 2005 flood disaster?