The National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, has commenced training of its staff and States Emergency Management Agencies, SEMAs, on critical aspects of disaster management for efficient service delivery to save lives and property in Nigeria.
The training is part of a sustained effort by NEMA under the leadership of the Director General, Mustapha Ahmed, to reposition the Agency towards efficient delivery of its mandates in timely coordination of disaster management in the country.
Speaking at the opening of the training in Abuja on Tuesday, the Director General explained that the training was designed to strengthen the capacity of NEMA and SEMA officials in Humanitarian Coordination Mechanism; Disaster Management Cycle and Institutional Capacity; Resource Mobilization; Information Management; Community Based Disaster Management; Search and Rescue; Incident Command System; Disaster Preparedness; Risk Management; and Early Warning System among others.
“Training of personnel is a critical component for effective and efficient disaster management,” He said
Mr Ahmed added that NEMA will continue to explore avenues to develop the capacity of its staff and stakeholders to ensure that all the principles and practices of disaster management are institutionalized.
He added that arrangement was already being made for another capacity development programme to hold in the nearest future.
The Director General NEMA also harped on partnership with development partners on stakeholders’ capacity training, organized in collaboration with the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), noting that it was “a step in the right direction to enhance the capacity of Federal and State emergency management officers.”
Responding, the Deputy Head of UN-OCHA Office in Nigeria, Esty Sukoyo, emphasised that OCHA will sustain collaboration with NEMA in line with its mandates.
She, therefore,advised participants to make the most of the training to improve their skills and also cascade to their various offices.
Shakirat Sadiq
