PROTOCOLS
It is with great sense of humility that I stand before this great team today to assume the mantle of leadership of this very important intervention Agency of Government which principally deals amongst others with the management of disasters and emergencies in Nigeria.
This milestone is not just a personal achievement but a testament to the strides we are making towards gender equality and inclusive leadership in Nigeria. I am deeply grateful for the trust and confidence reposed in me by Mr. President , and I accept this onerous role with a profound sense of duty, responsibility and dedication to unreservedly serve my country. I shall not disappoint God willing.
Permit me to use this opportunity to acknowledge the exemplary service of my predecessors, most especially, my brother the immediate past Director General, Mustapha
Habib Ahmed. Under whose leadership NEMA’s mandate was sustained and laudable milestones in disaster preparedness, response, and recovery were attained. The dedication and tireless efforts of all my predecessors have laid a solid foundation upon which we will continue to build and expand our capacity and ability to effectively carry out our mandate through proactive and innovative service delivery in emergency management. I _ therefore acknowledge their respective contributions and pledge to build upon their legacies with deliberate focus, humility and determination.
As we gather here today, we are reminded of the critical importance of emergency management in safeguarding the lives, properties and livelihoods of our fellow citizens. Nigeria, like many nations, faces a myriad of natural and man-made disasters that threaten our communities, security and infrastructure, therefore the need for innovative and effective emergency preparedness and response has never been more apparent. It is therefore incumbent on all of us charged with the responsibility of emergency management to reorientate ourselves through steadfast commitment to excellence, innovation, and inclusivity in service delivery . We should work together as a team with a common purpose and objective to enhance our nation’s resilience to face whatever emergency challenges we face.
Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, under my watch I intend to lead by example and in collaboration with our partners to set the standards and parameters for our
emergency response management under a set target, which include:
- Deployment of Technical and Human Intelligence in emergency and disaster management,
2.Proactive measures to ensure early forecasting, community engagement and evacuation, as well as presence and preparedness in areas of disasters and emergencies,
3.Proactive capacity building and retraining in emergency response management, disaster — forecasting, prevention, control and early response,
4.Establishment of real time situations and data rooms
5.Active engagement and collaboration with relevant national and international agencies,
6 Enhanced Staff welfare and motivation anchored on attainment of Key Performance Indicators.
7.Continuous monitoring and evaluation of departmental and field deliverables.
The priority will be ensuring that our interventions are timely, efficient, and impactful in an accountable and transparent manner. We must work to earn the trust and confidence of
Nigerians in line with this administration’s renewed hope agenda.
To kickstart the process, I intend in the coming days, to consult widely with the Management Staff, field officers and Staff of the Agency on our current Administrative and Operational strategy with a view to improving our areas of deficiencies. It will therefore not be business as usual under my watch, as every staff member will be held to account moving forward. There is no room for toying with people’s lives, disasters or emergencies. I therefore solicit concrete suggestions and ideas on improving the way we do things, apart from improving staff welfare and motivation.
In closing, I am filled with optimism and determination as I embark on this journey with you, my colleagues, together, we have the resilience, the ingenuity, and the spirit to overcome any challenges that may come our way. Let us unite in purpose, let us forge ahead with courage, and let us
build a more efficient emergency response agency through
innovative, proactive and effective service delivery.
Thank you and may God guide and protect us to do the right things for our dear Country.
MRS ZUBAIDA UMAR MARCH 2024.
