The Director General National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) Mustapha Habib Ahmed has commended stakeholders in disaster management and resource persons for a robust engagement and advised the SEMAs present to cascade the knowledge gained to their various states.
Addressing participants at the closing of the executive seminar on Emergency Management organized by NEMA in collaboration with Bournemouth University Disaster Management Centre (BUDMC) in Abuja, Mustapha Habib Ahmed emphasised the imperative for the States Government to establish their own Local Emergency Management Committees.
He added that as for NEMA, it has already commenced preparation for this year’s rainy season, especially concerning anticipated extreme weather consequences such as floods.
A team member from BUDMC Professor Lee Miles who spoke on behalf of the facilitators said the 5-day intense engagement covered very important and practical areas of disaster management that would benefit the nation.
Also speaking on behalf of the participants, the Chairman of Bayelsa State Emergency Management Agency Hon Walaman Sam Igrubia appreciated the DG NEMA for the foresight in organizing the seminar.
He said that the lessons learnt would immensely benefit each
state in its preparation and response to disasters. He also appealed to the NEMA to sustain the kind gesture of capacity development for SEMAs.
The DG NEMA presented certificates of participation to all participants.
Among the participants was the Permanent Secretary of Lagos State Emergency Management Agency Dr Femi Oke Osayintolu, DGof FCT Emergency Management Agency Dr Idris Abbas, Executive Secretaries of Kano, Kaduna, Benue, Kogi, Jigawa, Adamawa, Yobe, Anambra, Enugu, Cross River SEMAs. Others include the Directors General of Bauchi, Taraba, Plateau, Oyo, Ondo and Rivers SEMAs. The Hon Commissioner supervising Ebonyi SEMA and the Chairman of Bayelsa SEMA also participated in the executive seminar among others.
The Seminar was organized by NEMA with facilitators from Bournemouth University Disaster Management Centre (BUDMC) United Kingdom and participants drawn from Heads of State Emergency Management Agencies (SEMAs); all Heads of National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) Zonal, Territorial and Operations offices; selected staff from all departments and representatives of stakeholder agencies.
