NEMA Seek Comprehensive Action Plan on Disaster Risks

The Director-General, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mrs Zubaida Umar, has stressed the need for a comprehensive action plan to address disaster risks in Nigeria.

She said this during the Expert Workshop on Early Warning for All, National Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Strategic and Action Plan 2023-2030 in Abuja, on Monday, September 2, 2024.

The workshop, according to her, coincided with the ongoing flood season in Nigeria and would provide an opportunity to review the level of preparedness, response, mitigation and long-term recovery strategies.

She added that the initiative stemmed from an assessment by the Overseas Development Institute for the UNDP, which highlighted the necessity of improving DRR strategies in light of escalating disasters such as conflicts and floods.

She said, “The workshop aims to align Nigeria’s plans with the Sendai Framework and the African Programme of Action to enhance disaster resilience. A review of NEMA’s existing plans has indicated an urgent need for a more comprehensive action plan for disaster risk management in Nigeria, considering new and emerging hazards.”

The Acting Director, FCT Emergency Management Department (FEMD), Mr Abdulrahman Mohammed, identified stakeholders’ failure to use available data as a major problem confronting early warning on disaster in Nigeria.

 “We need to enforce making sure that we use data, because if we use data, the problem of disaster risk is almost solved,” he said.