By Abdullahi Lukman
The Kogi State Government has called for a deeper and more effective collaboration with the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to strengthen disaster response efforts and improve the delivery of critical interventions to the people of the state.
Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo made this appeal during a meeting with the head and management staff of NEMA’s Abuja Operational Office, which took place Tuesday, January 21 in Lokoja.
The meeting was aimed at fostering stronger ties between the state government and NEMA to address the growing need for disaster preparedness and intervention in the state.
Representing Governor Ododo at the meeting, Deputy Governor Comrade Joel Salifu congratulated Mr. Abubakar Zekeri, the new Head of NEMA’s Abuja Operational Office, on his appointment.
Salifu wished him a successful and productive tenure, emphasizing the importance of NEMA’s role in disaster management and intervention across the country.
He further commended Zekeri for his leadership and expressed confidence that his tenure would bring about positive changes in emergency response mechanisms, especially in Kogi State.
Governor Ododo highlighted the significant strides made by NEMA in partnership with the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) and other stakeholders in delivering crucial interventions to Kogi’s communities.
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He noted that such collaborative efforts had proven effective in providing much-needed support to the state’s vulnerable populations during disasters.
He specifically mentioned the successful delivery of federal government grain palliatives to affected communities and the timely interventions in areas like Omala, Dekina, Lokoja, and Kogi Local Government Areas, which had been severely impacted by various crises in 2024.
Ododo also pointed to efforts made to address communal crises, rainstorm disasters, and fire outbreaks, which prompted the state government to launch a pilot program on women volunteer disaster risk reduction management.
The governor expressed the state government’s commitment to disaster management, with the state positioned as the first responder in emergencies.
In his remarks, Mr. Abubakar Zekeri, the Director of NEMA’s Abuja Operational Office, expressed gratitude for the warm reception from the Kogi State Government.
He explained that the NEMA team’s visit was aimed at familiarizing themselves with the Governor and the state’s emergency management efforts.
Zekeri emphasized NEMA’s goal of strengthening collaboration with Kogi State to ensure more effective interventions in the future.
“We are here to not only familiarize ourselves with your operations but also to explore ways we can better support you in addressing the various challenges you face,” Zekeri told the governor, adding, “Our objective is to identify critical areas in the state that need immediate attention and develop strategies to prevent disasters before they happen.
