By Garba Dangida
The flooding experienced in some parts of the country during the last rainy season had devastating effects on communities and their livelihoods. Many riverine communities and those near the fringes of flowing rivers and dams were displaced, and their sources of livelihood destroyed.
In several instances, lives were lost. It was a challenging moment all over the country as trade and commerce were disrupted without notice. The famous Lagos-Abuja corridor through Lokoja was completely locked down due the flooding from the Benue River confluence, forcing motorists to divert through Niger State to get to the northern part of the country or southern part as the case may be .
Flooding, like other natural disasters, are sometimes beyond human control. However, what is imperative is the preparedness to mitigate the effect of such disasters in affected communities, and the emphasis has always been on mitigating and minimizing the loss of lives and destruction of properties.
This brings to mind the timely intervention of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) whose new leadership under Ahmed Mustapha Habib has redefined emergency management through proactive approach to disaster respose.
Many keen observers have noted the departure from the past operations approach of NEMA where fire brigade was the norm. Under Mr. Habib’s administration, the agency is engaging the 36 states and Federal Capital Territory to adopt proactive approach to disaster management by enforcing environmental laws against indiscriminate dumping of refuse or building structures along drainage systems.
The agency also partners with other stake holders like the Nigerian Meteorological Agency to provide information on weather forecast and resultant effect on the environment to keep states abreast of what the weather may portend for their citizens. This has helped in no small measure to make adequate preparations that reduce the damage the weather may cause to the communities.
Ahmed Mustapha Habib has accorded top priority to logistics for movement of relief materials and rescue teams to disaster locations, which has reduce the amount of time being wasted to attend to emergencies. This was demonstrated during the recent flooding experienced in parts of the country. Where disaster response by NEMA was well coordinated and relief materials delivered in a very short time. Within few days, the Director General had visited no less than seven states where he inspected the level damage and presented relief materials to the state governments.
Among the beneficiaries of this gesture are Akwa Ibom, Borno, Kaduna, Katsina, Nassarawa Niger, Ondo, Oyo, Plateau, and Rivers states., where NEMA presented rtrucks loads of rice, beans, millet, maize, and other items.
The appointment of Ahmed Mustapha Habib as the Director-General of NEMA has shown that President Muhammadu Buhari has made the right choice despite the initial rancor and reservations that greeted the appointment..
Those who know Ahmed Mustapha Habib Ahmed had testified to his personal integrity and result-oriented approach to any assignment he set his mind to. He came to NEMA with same mindset of taking a scientific approach to solving problems. Shortly after his appointment, his first task was to study the activities of the agency, analyses them, and find out what was hindering the agency from carrying out its mandate.
He carried everyone along in order to build a team of reliable and trustworthy partners that will assist him to achieve the mandate of the agency. It is no surprise that his first year in office has been very remarkable in the annals of NEMA’s history. He has impacted on the lives of thousands of Nigerians who received one form of relief or the other.
In so short a time, Ahmed has transformed the agency from one bedeviled by numerous issues into a more focused and strategically positioned organisation that addresses national emergencies without any hitch..
According to observers, this feat didn’t come on a platter of gold, as so much effort had been put to making NEMA the visible and efficient agency that it is today. Ahmed came to NEMA with a track record of service that spanned over 25 years across various sectors. He has built a brilliant career in logistics and supply chain, as managing director of several companies in Lagos.
He has brought to NEMA the culture of discipline, transparency, accountability, and prudent management of resources, which are the cherished values that led to the current transformation of the agency from one that was living on a life-support to dynamic organisation.
NEMA is today a hub of activities that has bolstered the confidence of critical stakeholders, development partners, and service providers who can access the opportunities to render their service to the agency without having to bribe someone.
The handling of the recent flood disaster across the country is a testimony of what Nigerians should expect moving forward. This is not to say it is yet Uhuru. However, the indices point in the right direction with regards to preparedness to mitigate the effects of emergencies caused by natural and man-made disasters..
What Ahmed Mustapha Habib did differently is the provision of purposeful leadership, which has consequently translated into the many gains recorded in the operations of NEMA. This also reinforces the notion that sound leadership is essential in our quest for sustainable growth and development.
Those in leadership positions must rise above sentiments and self-gains in discharging their duties. They must see the bigger picture, which remains in the country’s interest and consequently understand that leadership is about service in every sense of it.
The Ahmed Mustapha Habib serves as a role model for those aspiring to be such leaders. He has demonstrated foresight and solid commitment to introducing and sustaining laudable reforms in emergency and disaster management in Nigeria that are yielding appreciable results as witnessed during the last flooding incidents.
Nigerians saw search and rescue efforts at their best. They also witnessed effective distribution of relief items to affected communities in a transparent manner, which has generated renewed interest from the international community to support Nigeria in times of need. Ahmed broke another record recently with the launching of three automatic weather observation stations to enhance flood forecasting and management.
Ahmed Mustapha Habib has no doubt redefined governance through his purposeful leadership at NEMA. The onus lies on critical stakeholders to support this visionary leader burning with a passion to serve his country.
With reports from NEMA website
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