Evolve Disaster Stemming Templates, NEMA Tells States, LGs

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has urged states and local governments to evolve functional disaster management mechanisms in addition to “an effective and functional emergency management agencies.”
Malam Muhammad Sani-Sidi, the Director-General of the agency, made the call at a media Forum on Wednesday in Abuja.
“We must at all levels of government have a functional arrangement or mechanism to manage disaster.
“We must have an effective and functional State Emergency Management Agency at the state level.
“An agency that is well funded, well equipped; and then you must also have a similar arrangement at the local government level, so that the coordination will be seamless.’’
According to him, disaster management is multi-sectoral even though NEMA has the responsibility to manage disaster in all ramifications in the country.
“We have all agencies of government that have one responsibility or the other in the management of disasters.
“We have clusters; we have sector leaders; like in education, if you have IDP children schooling in the camps, we have Ministry of Education as a lead sector.
“If you have health challenges, we have Ministry of Health leading that sector, so it is multi-sectoral.
“So, when people talk about disaster management, it is not just limited to NEMA as an agency of government. NEMA is the coordinator.’’
On climate change, he said the phenomenon was a reality, saying that the best way to handle the issue was to develop and adapt a feasible strategy.
“Every country, every region on this planet will be impacted by the effect of climate change in one way or the other.
“Therefore, it is left for us to take action to mitigate and to adapt to climate change challenges.
“We must do the right thing to reduce the level of emission.’’
Sani-Sidi said the major challenges facing NEMA in its operations were inter-agency rivalry and loose coordination.
He expressed confidence that the present challenges would be surmounted, with constant engagement with relevant stakeholders.