NEMA, Stakeholders Meet on Disaster Management in Sokoto

NEMA, Stakeholders Meet on Disaster Management in Sokoto

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) solicits collaboration among disaster stakeholders on efficient Disaster Management.

The Head of NEMA Operations Office, Sokoto, Dr Kofoworola Soleye, said this at a one-day stakeholders’ meeting in Sokoto.

Dr. Soleye stressed the need for strong partnership between federal, state and nongovernmental organisations (NGOs) on the management of disasters related issues.

“There is need to coordinate different response organisation, non governmental organisations, volunteers and even community in order to achieve desired result Maihaja stated.

According to him, Federal Government established NEMA to coordinate such activities, urging the development of the same coordination systems at states and local governments.

He added that the interaction would enable stakeholders to identify most critical disasters, responses and implementation of national disaster plans.

He urged all stakeholders to identify areas of contributions, enumerate respective facilities available in order to formulate collaborative platform that will avail NEMA with information to coordinate agencies on responsive emergencies.

In his address, Alhaji Ibrahim Dingyadi, the Director-General of the Sokoto State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), said the state government had always supported effective collaborative measures aimed at averting disasters..

Dingyadi said equipment and necessary logistics were being provided to tackle all forms of disasters wherever such disasters might suddenly occur.

He said SEMA manages six Internal Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps mostly as a result of armed banditry and kidnappings across the state.

The DG emphasised on the need of engaging on peace dialogue with perpetrators crimes as obtain on neighbouring states in recognition of magnitude and reoccurring nature of incidences in the state.

Dingyadi said no fewer than 6,485 animals were lost while 80,000 people were affected in Raba, Tureta, Goronyo, Sabon Birni and Isa local government areas.

He explained that two deaths were recorded as a result of flood occurred in Shagari local government area this year while some incidents of banditry were recorded in Gudu and Kebbe local government areas of recent and casuality figures are being compile.

Major Yakubu Yakubu, from 26 Battalion of Nigerian Army, said army provided strategic interventions on disaster management and support all emergencies situations in terms building collapse, security situation and others.

Representatives of Federal and State Fire Service, State Ministry of Health, Environment and others made presentation on various roles and challenges in disaster management.

No fewer than 30 stakeholders attended the gathering and have made individual commitments toward taking the right measures to avert disasters in and adopting effective management strategies in the state.

Aliyu Mohammed
Information Officer,
NEMA Sokoto