Describes 2016 very challenging
By Muhammad Tanko Shittu
Jos
National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Director General (DG), Malam Muhammad Sani Sidi, has described the year 2016 as very challenging to the agency with 2.2 million Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the Northeast and more than 80 percent living within communities.
Sidi made the disclosure while declaring open a 2-day annual retreat on disaster and emergency management for members of the House of Representatives committee on emergency and disaster preparedness.
He further stressed that the major challenges that NEMA had been facing was the responding to the humanitarian crisis in Northeast and Northwest, particularly, in Zamfara state.
He said: “This year has been challenging just like last year, we have been occupied with responding to issues in North east and North west particularly, Zamfara state.’’
” Now we have been given additional 16 camps, apart from the exiting 23 others, which has 306,000 IDPs”, he added.
The Vice Chairman, House committee Hon. Ali Isa, while fielding questions from journalist said the retreat was an annual event where members are briefed by zonal coordinators and head of operations offices on disaster and challenge around the country.
“I strongly believed that with the little resources the agency receives, it has been very effective in handling most of emergency cases in the country”, he said.
The vice chairman said the committee will look at the Act of the agency with a view to enhance and improve the functions of the agency.
