January 23, 2023

Mr. Mustapha Ahmed, Director-General, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), says 2,430, 445 people were displaced by the 2022 flood disaster that ravaged different parts of the country.

He said this at the opening of a one-week strategic executive course for Nigeria Emergency Management Stakeholders on Monday in Abuja.

The course had as participants, heads of state emergency management agencies, heads of NEMA’s zonal, territorial and operational offices, among other partner agencies.

Ahmed said that the capacity building training was expedient at a time when the country was recovering from the impacts created by the 2022 flood disaster.

He added that the training which would afford the participants to share their experiences, would also provide an opportunity for them to develop holistic approaches to disaster and crises management in the country.

“This event is taking place in the immediate aftermath of the devastating 2022 flood disaster which is unprecedented in the history of Nigeria.

“Records indicate that 662 persons have lost their lives, 3,174 others have suffered injury and 2, 430, 445 individuals have been displaced by the floods.

“Thousands of houses, hectares of farmlands and several critical national assets were destroyed by the raging floods.

“NEMA in collaboration with state governments and other partners are currently working assiduously towards the long-term recovery of impacted communities across the nation,” he said.

The director-general also called on the participants to cascade the new ideas learnt to their various states and local emergency management committees to prepare early against future flood disasters.

Mr. Musa Zakari, the Director, Human Resource Management, NEMA, said that the training was apt as it would assist in re-examining new and efficient approach to disaster management.

“Rapid changes in climate has resulted in the increase in the frequency of natural disasters across the nation.

“Hence the objective of this seminar is to assist the agency and its critical stakeholders in providing unique international brand of disaster management education, training and simulation that can augment existing senior Officers training provision within the country,” he said.

Alhaji Abbas Idriss, the Director-General, FCT Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), who spoke on behalf of the participants, appreciated NEMA for organising the training.

He added that the training would build their capacity and strengthen their knowledge as they respond to disasters in the country.

The training had experts from the Bournemouth University Disaster Management Centre, UK, as resource persons.(NAN)