The Federal Capital Territory Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has begun a weeklong sensitisation of residents on disaster risk reduction across the six Area Councils of the nation’s capital, Abuja.
The Director, Forecasting, Response and Mitigation of FEMA, Mrs Florence Wenegieme flagged off the exercise, at
the Palace of the Ona of Abaji, Alhaji Adamu Yunusa.
Wenegieme explained that exercise was part of activities to commemorate the 2023 International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction (IDDRR) with the theme, “Fighting Inequalities for a Resilient Future for All’.
She said that the IDDRR was being commemorated on Oct. 13 of every year, to sensitise residents as the first respondents to disaster situations on how to reduce disaster risk in communities.
She said that the goal was for the people to know how to prevent, reduce, or mitigate disasters.
“If you are aware of eminent disaster, you will be prepared to prevent, and if you can’t prevent you reduce the impact or mitigate the outcome.
“This is part of the strategy to reduce the loss of lives and properties to disasters to the barest minimum,” she said.
She identified some of the disasters as flooding, fire outbreaks building collapse and other forms of disasters.
The director added that some of the disasters were human-induced and as such, preventable.
She stressed the need for residents to pay attention to the advice of FEMA and other disaster management experts on ways to prevent human-induced disasters.
She said that the theme of the 2023 campaign focuses on inclusion to ensure that no one is left behind – women, youths, children, persons with disabilities, the aged, the blind and every other human being.
“That is why our sensitisation is a bottom-up approach from the community level, to ensure that community members are aware of disasters and how to support and help one another when they occur.
“That is also why our participants include traditional leaders from the ward level, women, the youths, town criers, volunteers, local divers, disaster marshals, religious and traditional leaders,” she said.
The director said that other activities within the week would include a seminar with all relevant stakeholders, a roadshow, media engagement and a press conference to round it up.
Responding, the Ona of Abaji thanked FEMA, the Minister of FCT, Mr Nyesom Wike and the management of FCT Administration for all the support to the traditional council and local communities.
Yunu, however, appealed to FEMA to establish offices at the area councils to bring emergency services closer to the people and increase response time.
He assured FEMA of the traditional council’s support in sensitising the people on disaster risk reduction.
Earlier at the Abaji Council Secretariat, the Council Chairman, Mr Abubakar Abdullahi, pledged to set up the Local Emergency Management Committee to respond to emergencies at the community level.
Abdullahi, who was represented by the Council Secretary, Mr Abdulrahman Ndagi, promised to work with FEMA to keep residents informed about disasters and how to prevent, reduce, or mitigate them.
Dominica Nwabufo
