NEMA Tasks Journalists On Disaster Awareness

The Director General, National Emergency Management Agency, Mustapha Maihaja, has urged the media to help in educating the general public on disaster management and intervention efforts of the Agency across the country.

He made the call Wednesday when the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Chapter, paid him a courtesy visit at NEMA corporate headwaters, Abuja

According to a statement by the Agency’s Head of Media and Public Relations, Sani Datti, Maihaja noted that with the increasing incidences and magnitudes of disasters, it has become imperatives to widen the scope of awareness creation to reach communities that are at risk, provide necessary information and avoid misconceptions.

He appreciated the interest on the female journalists and noted that since NAWOJ is a gender arm of NUJ, they should help to educate the vulnerable population particularly women and children that are often more affected during disasters.

He said: “One of the mandates of the Agency is coordinating and harnessing resources of identified agencies and organizations with primary roles that are relevant to the management of various disaster situations. This essentially enables coordinated responses for effectiveness and efficiency”.

Chairperson of the association, Mrs Okoh Esene Stella, who led the delegation on the visit thanked the Director General for the audience and informed him that NAWOJ has been collaborating with Non-Governmental Organisations to educate women and children especially in health awareness and also providing help to widows and vulnerable children in FCT.

She assured that members of the association would cooperate with NEMA in furtherance of its awareness and sensitization activities.

NAWOJ is a registered Association for all practicing female journalists under the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ).