Lessons from an Abuja convergence of emergency managers

There is no doubt that many governments in Africa have garnered the political will to make disaster risk reduction a priority, this is because disasters remains a potential threat to national development, poverty reduction initiatives and the attainment of a progressive society. Analysts agreed that the success of the summit is a huge plus for […]

There is no doubt that many governments in Africa have garnered the political will to make disaster risk reduction a priority, this is because disasters remains a potential threat to national development, poverty reduction initiatives and the attainment of a progressive society. Analysts agreed that the success of the summit is a huge plus for Nigeria as a leader in the Africa continent. The summit which brought together ministers and experts from African countries to deliberate and contribute to post-2015 framework on disaster risk-reduction is indeed timely, especially if one considers security challenges and natural disasters such as flooding confronting most African countries.
The increasing occurrence and complexity of natural and human induced disasters which are constantly being exacerbated by climate change and global warming, have made the world a challenging place to live. However, NEMA has deployed latest technology to advance the cause of disaster management in Nigeria. At the conference, commendations continue to pour in for the management of the organisation, describing it as a model in the region to be emulated. Under the organisation’s current leadership, Nigeria has made progress in the implementation of all the key priority of the Hyogo Framework for action 2010-2015.
However, for the Federal Government, this is not a call to relax but a call to rise further to the occasion, for Nigeria to become not only the head in the West African sub-region, but to lead in Africa and contend with counterparts around the world. Therefore, this is a call for the Federal Government to support NEMA, to study carefully the resolutions and suggestions made at the summit with the aim of proffering support and to improve funding for them to be able to achieve objective without challenges.
Chigbue wrote in from Abuja