Reiterates Commitment to Disaster Risk Reduction
By Ibrahim Dan-Halilu
The Director-General of National Emergency Management Agency, Mustapha Ahmed Habib has reiterated Nigeria’s Commitment to implementing the Sendai Framework on Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) 2015-2030.
Mr. Habib, who was speaking during a high level meeting of the United Nations on Disaster Risk Reduction recently in New York, United States of America, said Nigeria has demonstrated commitment to the actualization of the four priorities and seven targets of Sendai Framework.
According to the Director General, NEMA has organised national and subnational platforms across the country, to promote Nigeria’s drive towards the implementation of the United Nations DRR protocols at subnational levels.
“We have organised national and subnational platforms across the country, and this constitutes an important integral part of achieving progress in the country’s drive towards subnational level implementation of the UN DRR protocols, said Mr. Habib.
The Director General further added that Nigeria in collaboration with the United Nation’s Development Programme and other regional bodies has appointed a consultant to facilitate the development of a comprehensive DRR Strategy for Nigeria.
Furthermore, NEMA in partnership with UNDP under the Sahel Resilience Budget, has conducted series of workshops on the establishment of national disaster database and risk informed development in Nigeria.
To curtail the incidences of natural disasters in Nigeria, Mr. Habib said NEMA has conducted series of workshops nationwide to sensitise stake holders on the need to establish a national disaster database and risk informed development in Nigeria.
Mr. Habib used the occasion to highlight Nigeria’s major disaster challenges, which include flood, erosion and other climate change induced disasters, and the various efforts made by Nigerian government to reduce the risks.
“The 2022 flood which was unprecedented in the history of Nigeria affected more than four million, causing over two million displacements, about 665 deaths, and extensive damage and destruction to nearly 360,000 houses, and one million hectares of farmlands nationwide,” he noted.
He said that Nigeria has developed a comprehensive strategy for dealing with the menace of flood as witnessed in 2022 and forecasted this year.
“Nigeria has established a presidential committee for the development of a comprehensive plan of action for preventing flood disasters in Nigeria, which aims at integrating structural and non-structural measures, ecosystem needs, and stakeholders coordination.
“As an early warning document, NEMA has launched the 2023 Climate Related Preparation and Mitigation Strategies that aims at safeguarding infrastructures and environment from climatic hazards.”
Mr. Habib emphasized the need for governance transformation and cross-sectoral collaboration in disaster risk management.
He debriefed the global gathering on disaster risk reduction on Nigeria’s success story with regard to the recent evacuation of Nigerians from the war tone Sudan.
“It is worth noting following the recent crisis outbreak in Sudan, the Federal Government successfully evacuated 2531 Nigerians, primarily students from various Sudanese institution back home in a safe and dignified manner.
“There were no reported casualties or major injuries during the entire operation.
“Additionally, 241 students have been identified and relocated to Port Sudan for subsequent evacuation back to Nigeria.”
Mr. Habib and his team members were earlier on hosted by the Director General of the National Office on Disaster Risk Management of Madagascar, Ambassador Elack Oliver Andriakaja at Madagaskar Permanent Mission to the UN in New York.
The meeting provided an opportunity for the two chief executives to discuss bilateral relations in areas of mutual benefit, which include capacity building for staff, sharing of experiences, and fostering collaboration in emergency preparedness, response, mitigation, and recovery.
They later exchanged gifts and emblems of their respective agencies as a rtoken of appreciation.
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