The Abia government says it will encourage greater collaboration with the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) in providing succour to victims of natural disasters in the state.

The secretary to the state government (SSG), Kenneth Kalu, said this on Wednesday, when a delegation from NEMA, Owerri operations office, paid him a courtesy visit in Umuahia.

The Owerri operations office of the agency covers Imo and Abia.

Mr Kalu expressed gratitude to the agency “for all the assistance it has rendered to the state”.

He commended NEMA for being involved in providing relief materials to disaster victims and assuaging their sufferings.

He said that the agency shared the same mission with the present administration in the state.

He, however, argued that the only difference is that the government does not wait for disaster to happen.

According to the SSG, “we want to proactively create a good environment for the people within the limit of the available resources.

“So, NEMA being an agency of the Federal Government that has to intervene when there are crises is actually a critical part of this government.

“NEMA has a responsibility that is dear to this government because our desire is to make the communities safe, create an environment that will make families live a good life.

“I ask that we continue to collaborate because we are willing to support you in moving the process of getting more reliefs for Abia communities faster,” Mr Kalu said.

He further expressed government’s willingness to always
collaborate with federal and state government agencies as well as international partners for the well-being of the citizenry.

Earlier, the head of the Owerri operations office, Ifeanyi
Nnaji, on behalf of his director-general, Habib Ahmed, congratulated Alex Otti on his emergence as the Abia governor.

Mr Nnaji said that NEMA had been collaborating with Abia State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), in terms of sensitisation, advocacy and humanitarian interventions to some disaster affected council areas of the state.

He commended the executive secretary of SEMA, Sunday Jackson, who accompanied the delegation, for providing efficient support in executing disaster management activities in Abia.

The NEMA chief disclosed that a previous assessment carried out in collaboration with SEMA had received attention and approval.

He opined that in no distant time, the relief materials would be delivered to the state as interventions for the concluded assessments.

He appealed to residents to be mindful of disaster risk reduction always.

“We intend to mitigate the effect than attending to disaster when it happens,” Mr Nnaji said.

(NAN)