The Director General of the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, Mustapha Ahmad has stressed the need to review staff hazards allowance in all humanitarian agencies to enable the actors and officers perform their duties better and more efficiently.
This was disclosed at the event in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital to celebrate and honor staff that lost their lives, sustainable injuries and tortured by kidnappers in the line of duty.
The Director General however explained that in view of the upsurge of threats and attacks on humanitarian aid workers across the country it’s has became necessary to encourage them.
Noting that the world is now more volatile to prevailing emergencies and has placed a burden on Humanitarian workers, which calls for more solidarity to commend their efforts.
“The sacrifice that humanitarian officers willingly risk, with some paying the ultimate price to protect the communities they serve deserve to be remembered, and honor. Today we are remembering and celebrating NEMA Humanitarian actors that have lost their lives and those that have suffered injury and trauma in the line of duty. It is recalled that some NEMA staff have lost their lives, have been kidnapped while many others have suffered tragic experiences while on active duty. Today’s event is therefore a period during which we take a pause, remember and celebrate these heroes and in retrospect think of means and ways of recognizing their services to the nation and humanity at large.
“This event calls for sober reflection by all to work hard to build peaceful and productive communities. Thus will enable us to collectively make our communities and the world a better place to live for us and the future generation of humanity. We must work hard to build climate proof and disaster resilient communities as part of the global efforts towards climate change mitigation, adaptation and disaster risk reduction in line with the theme human race.“
Also speaking, the Director Human Resources and Development of the agency, Mr. Musa Zachari noted that the event is the maiden edition, and first of its kind in the history of NEMA, aimed at acknowledging and celebrating the sacrifices given by NEMA Humanitarian actors.
“When you say you are celebrating Humanitarian Day, you are not celebrating the IDPs, or distress people. But the essence of the celebration is to recognize frontline officers that have lost their lives and suffered one form of injury or the other, in the course of humanity. I therefore want everybody to get this clear; it is all about service and supreme price that have been paid.”
One of the beneficiaries, Assistant Chief Operation Officer, Mr. Labaran Hamman, who spoke on behalf of the awardees, appreciated the present management of NEMA, for the honour given to them. While sharing his experience, he encouraged other staff not to relent in discharging their duties.
“For a very long time, a one hour trip to anywhere is always a trauma for me because of that plane crash experience I had. Notwithstanding, I am very excited and delighted for the honour given to us by this twenty first century management. This honour is more than a million dollars to me; and ever since I went through this experience, NEMA has given me the opportunity to provide humanitarian aid to people in distress. I have been to Libya during the Arab spring, I was in the Central African Republic, providing succor to Nigerians that were affected by the crisis in those countries. I have seen the bad, ugly and worst part of emergencies as far as I’m concerned. I am grateful to the Director General and management of NEMA, this honour given to us will make me do more for humanity, and I also encourage all staff not to relent in their service to humanity but do more.”
The awards was in three categories; first those that lost their live in the line of duty, those who sustained injuries while rendering services and those who were kidnapped and tortured in the line of duty.
About ten members of staff were recognized and awarded, including posthumous Award to those who lost their lives with a follow up of an undisclosed sum of money.
