NEMA to promote disaster prevention strategy

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has adopted the implementation of a new strategy which will promote risk reduction and encourage disaster prevention.

This novel idea will re-position NEMA as a proactive disaster management agency, reduce the vulnerability of citizens to disaster management and promote risk reduction activities.

This strategy was disclosed by the Director General of National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) Engr. Mustapha Maihaja while addressing the 2017 General Session of the Global Platform on Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) in Cancun, Mexico at the weekend.

In a statement signed by the Head, Media and Public Relations, Sani Datti, the DG said that NEMA has enjoyed great support from the political leadership in the country which is responsible for the giant strides of NEMA which is geared towards ensuring appropriate actions on reducing risks, disaster preparedness, mitigation and recovery.

He said that the Federal Government has empowered and equipped NEMA “to comprehensively manage disasters in Nigeria, with a fully functional Department of Disaster Risk Reduction” already created in the agency, adding that the Agency has continued to engage and champion Disaster Risk Reduction activities both at National and International level.

The DG pointed out that some of the measures adopted by the government would help to address some of the internal challenges arising from “climatic changes that have negatively affected our socio-economic activities leading to low productivity, low economic growth, social conflicts, diseases, human migrations, cross border conflicts and rise in crime rate, among others.”

Maihaja further stated that insurgency has remained a major challenges in disaster management, noting that “our nation is currently emerging from the effects of her worst humanitarian challenges, – The Boko Haram insurgency, an unwarranted conflict that has brought untold hardship and monumental losses, resulting in high number of displaced persons, some have even been forced to take refuge in neighboring countries.

“The Recovery process is daunting and we continue to solicit for support.” “Most recently we have also had to face the challenge of responding to the human losses due to meningitis.”

According the statement, some of the activities undertaking by NEMA to ensure adequate preparedness in disaster management include the hosting of the Fifth Africa’s Regional Platform in Abuja, National Sensitization Workshop on the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, produced and validated a plan of action for the implementation of the Sendai Framework, established and set up machinery to further strengthen the National Platform for Disaster
Risk Reduction and development of a draft National Policy on Disaster Risk Reduction.

He stated that due to the trans-boundary nature of conflicts and disasters from the terrorist region, “a united front to fight our common enemies including terrorism, climate change and conflicts” is long overdue.