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The
National Emergency Management Agency NEMA is being
repositioned to make it more proactive in Nigeria's
approach to disaster management. Addressing
stakeholders in disaster management within Abuja,
August 30, 2006, Air Vice Marshal Audu-Bida (rtd),
NEMA's Director-General said: "Disaster management
is multi-disciplinary and multi-sectoral", adding
that there was need to develop strategic and
formidable partnerships among all stakeholders in
disaster management. He told the participants that
NEMA's Zonal Offices were activated "to ensure
effective coordination at the grassroots". He added
that the Agency had constituted an Emergency
Response Team, ERT, at the headquarters of NEMA,
which would react promptly and efficiently to
disasters in the FCT.
The Director-General also announced the creation of
a Directorate of Training which he said was aimed at
capacity building. He added: "The establishment of a
Directorate of Training will enable the Agency
develop a highly professional, motivated and
dedicated workforce of disaster managers". He
explained that NEMA's new approach to disaster
management was to "see how we can all draw on our
collective strength and build a formidable emergency
response group of diverse professional background
and experience".
In his presentation Dr. Charles Agbo, Acting
Director of Training reiterated the importance of
the consultative meeting, highlighting the
objectives to include:
To develop strategic and formidable partnership
amongst all stakeholders by drawing and collection
strength and building formidable emergency response
groups of professionals
To
develop a group ofhighly
mobile and dedicated disaster responders that is
equipped and trained.
To sensitize stakeholders within the Abuja
metropolis the FCT and some of Agency’s proactive
strategic disaster management.
To come up with further suggestions and strategies
would enable the establish of vibrant and robust
relationships among all stakeholders towards
developing the "Abuja Master Plan Disaster
Management".
In
a paper entitled "Some
Reflections on Disaster Management in Nigeria", the
Assistant Director, Relief and Rehabilitation, Dr.
Olusegun Ojo gave an outline of disasters in
Nigeria, explaining that NEMA had achieved a lot in
disaster management. The decentralization of NEMA
(by creating six zonal offices), he said; was aimed
at reaching out to the grassroots and called for a
paradigm shift in disaster management from mere
response to disaster reduction. He observed that
disaster reduction was less expensive than response.
Disaster management, he added, must be viewed as a
developmental issue which is about people and
poverty reduction. He reiterated the importance of
community participation and partnership between
stakeholders.
The participants deliberated extensively on the
following:
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Characterization of the emergency
situation in the Federal Capital Territory. |
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Identification of institutional
mechanism to
address emergencies/disasters in Abuja/FCT. |
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Identification of problems militating
against effective response and collaboration
among stakeholders in the FCT. |
Strategies for collaboration
amongst stakeholders.
After brainstorming, the participants came
up with a framework for emergency response for
Abuja.
They are:
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The need for an emergency
number that
will be disseminated to all relevant
agencies. |
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Different agencies to set up
their ERT with
NEMA coordinating. |
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Each
organization/agency must have their
emergency/contingency plans. |
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Regular
meetings, training and simulation exercises. |
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Data-base of
equipment holding of all agencies and their
functions. |
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An FCT Disaster Response Model is being
worked out in
collaboration with all major stakeholders. |
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