NEMA newsletter June Edition 2013

Vol. 5 No. 18 June 2013

Mohammed Kanar

Mohammedkanar@yahoo.com

Vol. 5 No. 18 June 2013

08033035986

UN Chief drums support for disaster management in Nigeria Musa Ilalla Ag. Zonal Coordinator

Musahk123@yahoo.com

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Umesi Emenike Zonal Coordinator Godwin Tepiko Assistant Zonal Coordinator South-South

Head Operation Office

Gombe Operation Office

Apollo Jediel Head Operation Office Hajia Zainab Umar Ali Assistant Head

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Un Chief Drums Support For Disaster Management In Nigeria Page 1 Nigeria Host 7th Regional Consultation On Disaster Preparedness In West Africa Page 2 Top Un Disaster Managers Coming Page 2 Dg Nema Is Ecowas President On Disaster Management Page 3 Nema Urged To Facilitate First Aid Training Page 3 Nema Dg Warns Ecowas Of Increase In Disasters Page 4 Nema Activities In Pictures Page 5 Relief Assistance Gets To Nigerian Refugees In Niger Republic Page 6 Nema Aids Disaster Victims In Kaduna, Kano Page 6 Volunteer Programmes Reduces Disaster Risks Page 7 All correspondences should be addressed to: Public Relations Division, National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, No. 8, Adetokunbo Ademola Crescent, Maitama, Abuja.

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DG NEMA, UN Under Sec Gen Baroness Valerie Amos and the UN Resident Coordinator Dauda Traore when Sidi received the top UN delegates

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he United Nations Under-Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordination, Baroness Valerie Amos, has solicited for more political will and support from the government to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to improve on the management of disasters in the country.

Speaking at the NEMA head office in Abuja during her working visit to Nigeria, Baroness Amos also called on the organized private sector, civil society organizations and grassroots communities to cooperate with the Agency in the effort to boost disaster management in the country by building structures to reduce risk and increase community resilience.

The United Nations Under-Secretary General said she was confident that Nigeria was capable of handling most of the disaster issues in the country given necessary supports and cooperation to the organs established for disaster management and to also serve as model for other countries in the region.

She noted that the timely response given to the flood of 2012 which devastated many communities was evidence of progress in disaster management which Nigeria must strive to continuously improve in the face of the increasing global disaster challenges.

Baroness Amos said she was in Nigeria to advocate more political supports to disaster management and visit some locations of the 2012 flood which her office had given some assistance. After the visit, she said the United Nations may consider further assistance where necessary.

The Director General of NEMA Muhammad Sani Sidi who led the management of the Agency in receiving the top official from the United Nations requested the Under-Secretary General to explore the UN system to develop the capacities of NEMA and SEMAs in terms of acquisition of vital assets, technical training and capacity building.

He said in the effort to streamline emergency response operations during disasters, NEMA had recently developed eight plans which Cont. on page 4

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NIGERIA HOST 7TH REGIONAL CONSULTATION ON DISASTER PREPAREDNESS IN WEST AFRICA n the continuous effort to improve on disaster preparedness and strengthen the capacity of governments to respond effectively, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs for West and Central Africa (OCHA ROWCA) and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) organize the seventh Regional Consultation on Disaster Preparedness in West Africa which hold 4-6 June in Abuja.

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The consultation will focus on improving the structures and tools for disaster management in West Africa, especially for better use of hydro-meteorological information and alerts. The conference will also aim at formulating trans-border recommendations, at sharing best practices and at better using international, regional and national financing mechanisms for disaster preparedness and response.

The consultation will bring together civil protection experts, the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in West Africa, ECOWAS and experts from specialized institutions.

Top UN Disaster Managers coming

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he significant progress that Nigeria has recorded in the area of disaster management and disaster risk reduction has gained global attention as the two topmost United Nations disaster managers are scheduled to visit the country.

The visits will be to commend the Federal Government for the efforts and advocate for greater commitment at the highest political leadership.

Special Representative of the UN Secretary General for International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR), Ms. Margareta Wahlstrom and the UN Under Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator (UNOCHA), Baroness Valerie Amos will both be hosted by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), as Nigeria's focal agency for disaster risk reduction (DRR).

Ms Wahlstrom who will be around between Monday, June 10 and Wednesday, June 12, is leading a strong advocacy for disaster risk reduction strategy aimed at reducing the risk of natural, human-induced and technological hazards in the country; advocate for political support and institutional recognition of disaster risk reduction as vital component of the development agenda and also to further develop and build an effective and formidable structure for the operationalisation of strategies for disaster risk management in the country.

She will hold series of meetings with senior government officials including the Vice President, Arc. Mohammed Namadi Sambo, members of the academia, civil society groups, nongovernmental organisations and the media, with special focus

DG NEMA Muhammad Sani Sidi With Special representative of the UN Secretary General for International Strategy for Disaster Reduction, Ms. Margareta Wahlstrom

on land use planning and development control and making cities resilient. Ms. Wahlstrom was appointed the first Special Representative of the UN Secretary General for International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR) in November 2008 by UN Secretary General, Mr. Ban Ki-moon.

As for Baroness Valerie Amos, her visit is in respect of the humanitarian issues resulting from the recent incidences of natural disasters and conflicts experienced in certain parts of the country. The UNOCHA was formed in December 1991 by General Assembly Resolution 46/182.[1] designed to strengthen the UN's response to complex emergencies and natural disasters by creating the Department of Humanitarian Affairs (DHA), and replacing the Office of the United Nations Disaster Relief Coordinator, which had been formed in 1972.

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DG NEMA is ECOWAS President on Disaster Management he Director General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Muhammad Sani Sidi, has been elected President of the ECOWAS Regional Committee for Disaster Management in West Africa.

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He was elected at the 7th annual meeting of the committee held in Abuja under the auspices of ECOWAS with heads of disaster management agencies and international humanitarian organizations in the West African countries as participants.

federal high ways particularly Tafa and Mararaban Jos; and the cleaning and clearing of garbage in Zaria.

Prior to his appointment into the Kaduna State cabinet, he served as special Adviser to the Minister of Finance between 2003 to 2007 having been a senior manager in the then National Electric Power Authority.

Since his assumption of office as Director General NEMA, Sani-Sidi has enhanced the image of the agency as a forward looking, DG NEMA Muhammad Sani Sidi d y n a m i c , st r ate g i c a n d p ro act i ve organization that is well positioned to The election was in recognition of the address most challenges of disasters in Nigeria. A member of progress made by Nigeria in advancing the cause of disaster Institute of Civil Protection and Emergency Management management and providing exemplary leadership for the (ICPEM), International Association of Emergency Managers countries in the region. It confers special responsibility of (IAEM), The International Emergency Management Society leadership on DG NEMA who, in the next one year will preside (TIEMS), and the World Society of Victomology (WSV), he has over issues of disaster management in the region. received several commendation and awards including that from the Institute of Corporate Administration and the Conference An accomplished administrator, Muhammad Sani Sidi was on Disaster, Safety and Security Management. He also earned the appointed by President Goodluck Jonathan in September 2010 African Business Leadership Award given to him and to NEMA as the Director General of NEMA. At the time of his as the Best Emergency and Disaster Management Agency of the appointment, he was a member of the Kaduna State Executive year 2011 by African Leadership magazine. Furthermore, his Council where he served variously as the Commissioner for outstanding performance earned NEMA the recognition and Environment and Natural Resources; Works and Transport as award of being the most outstanding public Institution in well as Culture and Tourism. He was also assigned at various Nigeria which was presented in September 2011 by times to supervise the ministries of Health and Finance.

Independent Service Delivery Monitoring Group in collaboration with African Independent Television (AIT).

His leadership qualities, especially in the area of disaster management and mitigation began to manifest while he was in Recently, he was also nominated by the Leadership Newspaper the state cabinet. Thus, he was credited with the demolition of and conferred with the award as the Leadership Public Officer of unhealthy and defective structures that were hazardous to the the year 2012. people in Kaduna and was also responsible for the prompt and timely interventions of the state government in curtailing the Muhammad Sani Sidi who hails from Kaduna state has two spread of contagious diseases at the time. At various times he Masters degrees in Business Administration (MBA) and in chaired the committees on decongestion of Kaduna metropolis; International Relations and Diplomacy (MIAD). He is married removal of carcasses in public places; decongestion of the with children.

NEMA Urged To Facilitate First Aid Training

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he Adamawa chapter of the Nigerian Red Cross Society has called on the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to provide facilities for first aid training in the state.

Mr Manja Martin, branch Secretary of the society, made the call in Jalingo at a workshop on Strengthening Mechanisms for Response to Emergencies, organised by NEMA. He said that when provided, the facilities would assist the society to train members of the public in handling casualties. ``If NEMA has provided stretchers here, for example, you people can best appreciate the techniques of handling casualties,� he said.

He noted that lack of first aid knowledge by Nigerians had

resulted to several deaths that could have been prevented in the past. ``First aid is very vital for saving lives. That is why we always urge the general public to acquire techniques in dressing casualties, lifting techniques and resuscitation, among others,'' he said.

Speaking earlier, the Head of NEMA Operational Office in the state, Mr Jediel Apollos, said the public must view disaster management as everyone's rather than the sole responsibility of NEMA. He said that NIMET's prediction of massive rainfall in 2013 must be taken seriously in order to save lives and properties. ``We ignored NIMET predictions of massive rains in 2012, and we paid dearly. The current prediction must not be undermined if we want to save lives and properties,'' he said.

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Relief assistance gets to Nigerian refugees in Niger Republic

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urther to the humanitarian response of the Federal Government to communities affected by the security challenges in the North East zone of Nigeria, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has deployed relief assistance to displaced Nigerians that fled into nearby Republic of Niger, to provide them with immediate succor.

NEMA said available information from the Nigerian Embassy in the Republic og niger and the Borno State government indicated that only 126 Nigerians had fled across to the Republic of Niger. The Director General of the Agency, Muhammad Sani Sidi, confirmed that the Agency is responding to the humanitarian needs of the displaced Nigerians to alleviate their conditions.

He said the basic needs of the refugees were identified by a special assessment carried out by a team from the Agency that was dispatched to the Republic of Niger to ascertain the conditions of Nigerians that had crossed over the border into the country. The assessment was carried out along with officials of the Nigerian Embassy in Niamey, Nigerien authorities and resident representatives of United Nations OCHA, UNHCR and the Red Cross.

The DG noted that the relief intervention will also ease the

he National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has sent relief assistance worth millions of Naira to the victims of a recent attack by unknown gunmen in Kaura Local Government Area (LGA) of Kaduna State to ameliorate their plight.

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Volunteer Programmes Reduces Disaster Risks

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he National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) said it's set to reinforce emergency volunteer programmes across the country.

Iyiola Akande, the Agency's South West Zonal Coordinator, said this on the occasion of the mobilisation of NEMA Executive Volunteers, Emergency Management Vanguard (EMVs) and NGOs in Lagos.

Akande said that the aim of the programme was to boost NEMA capacity for effective and efficient disaster risk reduction as well as search and rescue operations across the country.

Relief assisastance being distributed to Nigerians that ran into Niger Republic

pressure brought on local resources of the host communities by the refugees. Most of the refugees, he said were found to be in Bosso and its environs in the Diffa Region of the Republic of Niger.

Sani Sidi reiterated the commitment of the Agency to provide necessary supports to Nigerians in distress within and outside the country.

The relief deployed to Niger Republic are made up of food, non food items and medicals.

NEMA aids disaster victims in Kaduna, Kano

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In a similar development, NEMA also presented relief items to Kano State's Hon. Muhammad Sani A. Rano, the member representing Rano, Bunkure and Kibia federal constituency in the House of Representatives, to aid victims of the recent windstorm in Rano and Sumaila.

The supplies, consisting of food The relief items included 300 bags of items and building materials, were cement, 100 bundles of roofing NEMA NW Zonal Coordinator Musa Ilallah making a symbolic presentation of relief items to victims of windstorm in officially presented to the Executive sheets, 100 bags of roofing/zinc nails, Sumaila and Rano LGAs of Kano State Secretary of the State Emergency 100 bags each of rice, maize and Management Agency Kaduna, Hon. guinea corn, 10 bags of sugar, 10 jerry Ishaku Dogo Makama, by the NEMA North West Zonal cans each of palm and vegetable oil, and 150 pieces each of Coordinator, Alhaji Musa Ilallah for onward distribution to shadda and wax prints. Other items were 100 pieces each of residents of Zangang, Tangan, Afan Zangan, Zakum and Tsokong, mattresses, towels and mosquitoes nets; 200 pieces of mats, 50 in Kaura LGA that were affected. cartons of detergents, and 100 pieces each of buckets, plates and spoons.

The Executive Secretary took possession of 150 bags of rice, 100 bags each of maize and millet, 100 bags of cement, 200 bundles Alhaji Ilallah said the relief items will be shared to the two of roofing sheets, 50 bags of zinc nails and 50 packets of roofing affected localities with the worst hit Rano victims receiving 80 nails. per cent while the Sumaila victims will take 20 per cent.

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He said that the programme would improve the capacity of the community towards building a culture of preparedness, prevention, response and resilience to disaster.

Akande said that in an attempt to take emergency management to the grassroots, the agency had established volunteer programmes which involves trained youth and professionals.

“We have Emergency Management Vanguards, Grassroots Emergency volunteer Corps, School Basic Emergency Response Teams, Disaster Risk Reduction Clubs and Executive Volunteers, “ he said.

NYSC NEMA Emergency Management vanguards during sensitization rally in Lagos

He said that the Grassroots Emergency Management Volunteer Corps had attracted about 10,000 volunteers spread across 23 states in the country.

“There is therefore, the need for the volunteers to be aware of the nature and management of disasters, which would lead to better performance in disaster preparedness, mitigation advocacy and response, “ he said.

Akande urged Nigerians to make disaster risk reduction a priority so as to save lives, property and environment threatened by disaster.

IN CASE OF EMERGENCY 1.CALL NEMA EMERGENCY CALL CENTER ON: 0800CALL NEMA or (080022556362) -TOLL FREE 0929O5777 092905895 08032003555 2. To give the following information: a. Location of incidence, Accident or Emergency. b. Name of street or location. c. Prominent landmarks. d. Type of Emergency (Fire, Road, Accident, Floods e.t.c ). e. Number of people involved. f. What actions are being taken by agencies on the site, no. of Ambulances e.t.c. g. Any other useful information.

PLEASE NOTE THAT QUICK AND CLEAR INFORMATION WILL ENHANCE QUICK RESPONSE AND CONSEQUENTLY THE SAVING OF PRECIOUS LIVES.

for the sake of the distressed

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NEMA DG Warns ECOWAS of Increase in Disasters

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irector General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Muhammad Sani Sidi, has alerted countries in the West African Subregion of the increasing incidences of disaster across the zone and advised the governments to take issues of disaster management more seriously to promote safety and development.

Federation, affected 7,705,398 people, displaced 2,157,419, caused the death of 363, destroyed 597,476 houses and resulted in unprecedented ecological damage.

NEMA activities in pictures

According to him, the 2012 flood was a glaring testimony to the growing intensity of climate change related disasters in Nigeria and indeed the West Africa sub-region.

Extreme weather conditions, including excessive rainfall, severe windstorm, heat-wave and drought have become more frequent with adverse effects on the economy, environment, food security, lives and livelihoods.

Unlike the developed nations where, proportional losses due to disasters are in decline, people in the developing countries including the ECOWAS nations, are increasingly vulnerable, to the extent that they account for a large percentage of global disaster related losses and secondary hazards.

DG NEMA Sani Sidi, Minister of Enviroment Hjy. Hadiza Mailafia and other dignitaries at 7th annual consultation of regional committee for disaster management in West Africa at ECOWAS secretariat, Abuja

Speaking at the opening of the 7th annual consultation of the Regional Committee for Disaster Management in West Africa (GECEAO) at the ECOWAS Secretariat, Abuja, Sani Sidi said climate change related challenges have significantly increased the occurrences of disasters across the globe in recent years.

Such disasters which are more pronounced in developing nations with weak capacity for adaptation have quite often resulted in large scale devastation, loss of lives and significant ecological dislocation.

Similarly, economic losses from disasters, both natural and human induced, have become a recurring phenomena. In 2010, United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction estimated losses from natural catastrophes and human-induced disasters amounted to a staggering 222 billion dollars-more than triple the amount of losses in the previous year.

Nigeria, as a nation, also recorded its own experience of the negative impacts of climate variability in the recent past.

Recalling the experience, the Director General said the widespread flood disaster of 2012 which occurred in 23 States of the

He noted that the three-day 2013 consultation among disaster management stakeholders of the ECOWAS community has become quite significant given our recent experience on wide ranging and increasingly complex cross-boarders emergencies in the sub-region.

Head Gombe Operation Office Appolos Jediel, addressing participants during Evacuation drill exercise in Gombe

Head Abuja Operation Office Ishaya Chonoko Making a presentation at a 2 day workshop on strethening disaster preparedness and mitigation at Local Government level

NYSC EMV South East Zonal office Enugu cutting send forth cake

NEMA South South zonal office training secondary school student on First Aid and Safety in Bayelsa State

NEMA dispensing supply to the people of Maiduguri, Borno State

One of the tent being erected for IDP in Fadan Attakar, Kaura LGA Kaduna

You will agree with me that cross fertilization of ideas in a forum like this, mutual support, sharing of experiences, assets and expertise among ECOWAS countries has become necessary as we strive to brace up to the challenges of emergency preparedness, response and recovery in West Africa and beyond.

He commended the efforts of ECOWAS, the UN-OCHA, the IRCRC and all individuals and organisations that worked assiduously towards the success of the meeting.

Sani Sidi also noted that developing strategic partnerships initiatives with sister African countries on disaster risk reduction and emergency preparedness, is in line with NEMA's drive to foster regional cooperation among ECOWAS countries.

In this regard, NEMA has over the years developed a well trained workforce and acquired strategic facilities and assets that can easily be deployed beyond the shores of Nigeria for timely and effective emergency response, mitigation and recovery.

UN Chief drums support for disaster management in Nigeria Cont. From page 1 could be activated and applied according to specific areas of disasters. The Agency, he continued has on behalf of Federal Government of Nigeria provided relief assistance to several African countries, established close cooperation with emergency management and humanitarian actors with other countries.

In addition to the visit to NEMA, the United Nations UnderSecretary General Baroness Valerie Amos also met with the Vice

President, Arc. Mohammed Namadi Sambo, who is the Chairman of NEMA's Governing Council, at the Presidential Villa.

NEMA had within the week also received the visits of Special Representative of the UN Secretary General for International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR), Ms. Margareta Wahlstrom and the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General for West Africa, Mr Said Djinnit.

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