In a significant step to enhance disaster response in Nigeria, the Director General National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) Mrs Zubaida Umar said the Agency has commenced a process to strengthen preparedness for common disasters in the country.
Addressing participants at the opening of a training for mass casualty and public health emergency management in Abuja, she re-affirmed commitment of NEMA to deliver on its mandates as the lead Agency for the management of consequences of crises, noting that “we take our responsibility with utmost seriousness and dedication.”
She said “today’s event is not just a training session but a key component of our continued commitment to enhancing our national disaster response capabilities. It reflects our shared vision for a nation that is better prepared, more resilient, and capable of effectively responding to crises that inevitably arise in a rapidly changing world.”
She underscored the significance of joint exercises with other stakeholders as opportunities “to identify existing gaps in our emergency response systems, and most importantly, to provide participants insights and necessary tools to address these inadequacies. This exercise enables us to strengthen our Standard Operations Procedure (SOPs) and understand our roles and responsibilities as part of our preparedness for crisis and disaster response. It provides us the opportunity to sharpen our skills and elevate our state of preparedness to effectively confront emergency challenges head-on.”
The DG NEMA said beyond the preparations for a national simulation exercise under the auspices of the Offices of the National Security Adviser, the Agency has identified the imperative for proactive crisis management in light of the increasing frequency and intensity of global disasters, highlighting the popular saying that “when disaster strikes, the time to prepare has passed.”
She acknowledged the leadership of the National Security Adviser in facilitating the proposed exercise and expressed gratitude for the initiative in uniting stakeholders across various sectors. She encouraged participants to engage actively and apply their insights to strengthen Nigeria’s disaster response framework.
In his remark, the National Coordinator National Counter Terrorism Centre Major General Adamu Garba Laka who represented the National Security Adviser at the event affirmed commitment of the Federal Government to sustained efforts for a safe and secured Nigeria.
Good will messages were delivered during the opening of the training by notable personalities that include the Director General Federal Capital Territory Emergency, Engineer Mohammed Abdulrahman, Director Special Duties Federal Ministry of Head Dr Charles Nzelu, and Head of Counter Terrorism British High Commission Abuja Mr Lawrence Devlin.
25th Nov 2024
