NEMA To Improve Disaster Management With Emergency Operation Centres

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) is working to build befitting Emergency Operations Centres (EOCs) for robust response to disaster situations in the country, Director General, Engr Mustapha Maihaja has said.

Addressing participants in the on going Emergency Operations Centres’ training facilitated by the USAID in Abuja, he said experience from the response to the 2018 flood in Nigeria require more improvement in the management of disaster situations.

He said, “the 2018 flood in Nigeria has challenged us to improve the way we do things, though we were able to support the states through the establishment of five (5) territorial EOCs and national emergency operation centres. We are not resting on our oars, but we are forging ahead to sustain a befitting EOC for the country.”

As part of the way forward, he said “we will continue to develop the capacity of staff to ensure that all principles and practices of disaster management are institutionalized.”

He appreciated the government of United States of America through USAID for partnering with NEMA in the capacity development of its staff, noting that the “first training which was conducted in February on Emergency Operation Centre Design Management and Incident Command System were very helpful and instrumental in our response to the 2018 flood.”

Engr Maihaja therefore requested the USAID to sustain the partnership in supporting NEMA to evolve its programmes into global best practice and standards.

NEMA’s engagement with USAID started in 2016 with the Technical Advisors sent to the Agency to conduct capacity assessment of NEMA.