The director general, National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, Mohammed Sani Sidi has said that the agency was ready to partner with as many people as possible in addressing disaster, declaring that disaster management was every body’s business.
Sani Sidi stated this in Abuja at the weekend while delivering a keynote address during a one-day interactive forum organised by NEMA with Executive Volunteer Corps, EVC, of the agency.
Represented by the director Finance and Administration in the agency, Mr. Hakeem Akingbola, the DG said that the frequency of disaster occurrence in the country and the pursuit of an effective response approach prompted the need to re-evaluate the agency’s mechanism and strategies for search and rescue operations and disaster response.
He said that the forum was to enable volunteers to be well informed with the new trend of disasters being experienced in the country presently and to proffer innovative ways of better responding.
“The aforementioned would ensure that emergencies are handled in line with international best practices with a view to placing the nation on an enviable height in emergency management and Disaster Risk Reduction DRR.
In his welcome address, director of Search and Rescue, Air Commodore Charles Otegbade said that the aim of the forum was to bridge the widening gap in disaster management and update themselves on what is going on in the country, in order to better position themselves to meet the mandate of the agency.
He urged them to always come out to assist whenever there is a disaster and not wait to be called upon.
“As Executive Volunteers Corps, in discharging duties any emergency should be reported to the agency.
“As volunteers you have the right to respond to disaster while we mobilise and join you.
“You do not need any invitation to respond to emergencies in any situation”, he added.
It is worthy to note that the EVC are usually professionals with wealth of experience drawn from all sectors to boost the agency’s and the nation’s response capability.