The Federal Capital Territory Emergency Management Agency, (FEMA) says there are plans to build a professional team of volunteers comprising old hands who are experienced and contributed to the development of Abuja and understand its landscape.
The Director-General of the Agency, Dr Abbas Idriss who gave the hint in Abuja noted that most of these experienced people are retired and would like to give back their experience and expertise in saving the lives and properties of the residents of the FCT.
Idriss informed that FEMA intends to come up with professional groups who can form themselves as clusters, especially Hydrologists, Structural and Civil Engineers, Town Planners to advise the Agency on the best way to stop flooding in and around the FCT.
“We do invite them for our workshop and other programmes and their inputs were unique and workable,“ he said
He applauded the efforts made by the Nigerian National Volunteer Service in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation who are working to ensure the culture of volunteerism is enshrined in our daily activities.
While revealing that FEMA volunteers have been integrated into its programmes, he added that; “We train them, give them modern tools to work. If there is any flooding in the City or anywhere in the Area Councils, our volunteers are the first to go into the water. In the rural areas, we rely solely on our volunteers and Vanguards, because they are always on the ground.”
The FEMA boss appealed to Nigerian youths who do not want to volunteer to have a rethink as volunteerism is one way of giving back to society.
PIAK
