The National Emergency Management Agency NEMA had intimates the Adamawa state government on measures taken to address disasters in the society.
The interaction which took place at government house Yola, when the NEMA Boss came calling. Issues discussed includes relief intervention, capacity building and public compliance to disaster measures.
Adamawa state governor, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri who lead the meeting, revealed the state government efforts to address disaster which include, ensuring adherence to disaster curtailing measures by the local council authorities.
Fintiri said, predictable disasters such as flooding caused by the release of water from Lagdo Dam should permanently be addressed through construction of additional dam in order to save people of Adamawa, Taraba, Benue, Bayelsa and others from foreseeable challenges.
The governor while appreciating the decision of NEMA to restock items cattered away and destroyed by vandals also said, he will direct commissioner of justice to be lenient to over 100 persons prosecuted for the crime.
The Director General National Emergency Management Agency NEMA, Mustapha Habib Ahmed on the other hand said it has become necessary for State governments and Federal Inland Water Way Authorities to put in place strict regulations to avoid the overloading of boats and ferries and to enforce the full utilization of life jackets by passengers travelling on waterways.
The DG also revealed that NEMA will replace all the relief and recovery items of the Special National Economic Livelihoods Emergency Intervention looted by vandals in NEMA’s Yola warehouse.
Following the attack and vandalization of it premises sometimes ago by demonstrators NEMA appreciate Governor Fintiri for providing the NEMA Yola Operations Office with office and warehouse accommodation inside the Government House in Yola for safety and security.
NEMA further commended the Adamawa state government for being amongst the first to take disaster risk governance to the grassroots.
The state government inaugurated Local Emergency Management Committees (LEMCs) for all the 21 Local Government Areas of Adamawa State.
The Agency is planning to partner with State governments and other national and sub national actors to convene a national workshop on the mitigation of recurring incidences of boat accidents in riparian communities, with intention to downscale the proceedings of the conference to grassroots inform public sensitization and awareness creation on riparian disaster risk reduction.
NEMA will support targeted communities and relevant occupational groups with life jackets and other valuable life-saving protective gear.
