Atiku asks states to brace for disaster control
From Mathias Okwe, Abuja
VICE-President Atiku Abubakar on Tuesday in Abuja hinted that state governments in the country might soon begin to bear the burden of disaster management and mitigation in their domains.
At the moment, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), a Federal Government establishment mitigates disaster situations in the states.
The agency is almost on monthly basis providing relief materials worth several millions of naira to states enmeshed in civil disturbances.
Speaking on Tuesday while opening a two-day conference of directors and heads of disaster management organisations in Nigeria, Atiku advised state governments to prepare to take up such responsibility in future.
He explained that the action was being contemplated because of the Federal Government limited resources.
Atiku, who was represented at the ceremony by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, said: "I want to say a word or two about financing disaster management in the country. The law establishing NEMA had earmarked a large proportion of the Ecological Fund for the agency.
"However, the Supreme Court ruling that would affect that important source of funding for the agency is to be given soon.
"This means that the Federal Government would have to fund NEMA from its own share of the Federation Account. In other words, the agency will continue to render assistance to the states when disaster occurs, the states should begin to consider themselves as equal partners in the disaster management agenda".
The Vice-President said that in view of the current realities, Nigeria has no choice but to join the international community in promoting disaster reduction and mitigation activities.
He called on all disaster management organisations to follow suit and put increasing emphasis on prevention and mitigation activities so as to nip potential disaster in the bud.
Earlier, the Director-General of NEMA, Alhaji Salisu Shuib Makarfi, observed that there was a tendency in the country for ordinary Nigerians, local councils, states and some Federal Government agencies to think that the management of any disaster, no matter how small, was the responsibility of NEMA.
He said: "People expect NEMA to swing into action if a storm destroys a few houses in a village. The fire service expects NEMA to procure fire tenders for it and so on".
