The Director-General, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mr Mustapha Ahmed Habib, says the agency will collaborate with various stakeholders to build new strategies to reduce disasters in the country.
He said this at a two-day Stakeholders Consultation Workshop on the Development of the National Disaster Risk Reduction Strategy and Action Plan 2023-2030, in Abuja.
The workshop was organised in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Sahel Resilience Project.
He said that the plan was critical to enable the country align with and drive the targets of the Sendai framework and the African Programme of Action on disaster risk reduction.
“The recent happenings in severity of disasters in form of banditry, boat mishaps, building collapse, urban and market fires, among others, have ignited the compelling desire to develop a Nigeria Disaster Risk Management Plan.
“The compelling demand has therefore led to the commencement of discussions and partnership between NEMA and the United Nations Development Programme on the actualisation of the important plan,” he said.
He said the workshop which was in line with the Sahel Resilience Project would no doubt help the countries under the region to improve their resilience, especially in trans-boundary disasters.
“I find it necessary to stress that management of disaster risks in contemporary time is anchored on preparedness, mitigation, risk reduction and adaptation.
“This can only be realised with the full deployment of a strategic action plan that clearly assigns roles and responsibilities to implementing Federal Government MDAs and other relevant stakeholders,” he said.
Also speaking, Dr Reshmi Theckethil, Project Manager of Sahel Resilience Project, said that organisational culture change, political commitment, motivation and financial backing are necessary for the new strategic plans to be effective.
“A strategic guidance framework, sectorial and intersectional coordination and participation from all actors are essential.
“The new disaster risk reduction strategy for Nigeria must address priorities such as understanding disaster risk, strengthening governance, investing in resilience and enhancing preparedness.
“It should promote policy coherence related to sustainable development, poverty eradication and climate change, aligning with the sustainable development goals and the Paris agreement,” she said.
By Funmilayo Adeyemi
