By Ojugbele Omotunde
Related Posts
Mr. Mustapha Habib-Ahmed, Director-General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), has announced a collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to develop a national disaster risk reduction strategy aimed at mitigating disasters.
The announcement was made at the commencement of a two-day workshop on the disaster risk reduction strategic action plan for the years 2023-2030 in Kano, on Monday, December 18, 2023. The workshop is themed “Strengthening Capacities for Disaster Risk Reduction and Adaptation for Resilience in the Sahel Region: Fostering Risk-informed Solutions for Sustainable Development.”
Habib-Ahmed, represented by Dr. Daniel Obot, Director of Disaster Risk Reduction at NEMA, highlighted the need for a management plan in Nigeria due to the country’s disaster risk profile being dominated by hydrometeorological hazards, building collapses, urban market fires, and boat accidents.
He further mentioned the African Union Commission and UNDP-led Sahel Resilience Project, aiming to assist Nigeria’s Federal Government in achieving its renewed hope agenda for inclusivity, food security, and the eradication of poverty.
Dr. Nuradden Abdullahi, the NEMA Territorial Coordinator for the Kano Office, emphasized that the workshop would contribute to the development of risk management plans.
UNDP representative Sunday Amama underscored the significance of disaster risk management at all levels to strengthen community and economic resilience. Nigeria, as a signatory to the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, is developing a new disaster risk reduction strategy in alignment with the African Union’s program. The goal is to enhance disaster preparedness response capabilities in West Africa and the Sahel region.
Amama emphasized that, beyond protecting the populace from present and potential disaster risks, essential elements such as organizational culture change, political commitment, financial support, and motivation are necessary. He stated that the new disaster risk reduction strategy aligns with the sustainable development goals and aims to support policy coherence related to sustainable development, poverty eradication, and climate change.
