The Medical Response Team of the School of Medicine, University of Port Harcourt, today Thursday, 4th September 2025, paid a courtesy visit to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) Port Harcourt Operations Office.
The delegation, led by Mr. Champion Inana, said the visit was aimed at establishing a working synergy between the medical response team of the university and NEMA. He commended the Agency for its remarkable achievements in disaster management and expressed the team’s desire to collaborate with NEMA in the areas of emergency response and humanitarian services.
Responding, the Head of Operations, Mr. Eric Ebhodaghe, warmly welcomed the delegation and briefed them on NEMA’s vision and mission. He emphasized that disaster management is a shared responsibility and cannot be handled by NEMA alone, stressing that it is multi-sectoral in nature. He explained the roles of other structures, such as the State Emergency Management Agencies (SEMAs) at the state level and the Local Emergency Management Committees (LEMCs) at the local government level.
Mr. Ebhodaghe assured the visitors of NEMA’s readiness to collaborate with them, particularly in the areas of volunteering for paramedic services during response operations and in capacity-building initiatives. He further enlightened the team on the importance of hazard identification, preparedness, and impact reduction as vital components of effective disaster management.
He noted that NEMA’s coordinating role involves complementing the efforts of sister agencies and stakeholders, and encouraged the team to position themselves for meaningful contributions. He also highlighted opportunities for their inclusion in future capacity-building activities, including lectures and trainings on disaster management.
The interactive session featured questions and answers, after which the visit was rounded off with a group photograph to commemorate the occasion.
