The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), North-Central zone, has reviewed its 2023 activities and identified effective coordination as a cornerstone for successful disaster management.

NEMA North-Central coordinator Eugene Nyelong said on Thursday in Jos that the review was imperative to assess the agency’s activities to know how they fared in the year that ended.

Mr Nyelong said the agency discovered the critical importance of effective coordination in preparing for and responding to disasters in the review.

The zonal coordinator stated that disasters, whether natural or man-made, could strike at any moment, leaving devastation and chaos.

“However, through proactive planning, coordination, and collaboration, we can minimise their impact and save lives and properties. This workshop serves as a platform for us to come together, share knowledge and experience, and strengthen our collective capacity to manage disasters effectively.

“It is an opportunity for us to review our past operations and identify gaps for the year 2023 in disaster management. Effective coordination is the cornerstone of successful disaster management. By working together, we can ensure a more coordinated and efficient response, maximise the use of available resources and avoid duplication of efforts,” he said.

He encouraged all the stakeholders to actively participate, share their insights, and contribute to the collective effort.

According to him, collectively, the stakeholders would make a difference and ensure that the country is better prepared to face any challenge that comes its way.

In his paper ‘Importance of Coordination in Disaster Management,’ Nurudeen Musa, head of the Search and Rescue Department, said coordination identified each stakeholder’s capacity.

“It prevents duplication of roles and responsibilities, creates access to expertise and funding, rules out interagency rivalry, and makes work easy. It is a process that improves the effectiveness of humanitarian response by ensuring greater predictability, accountability, and partnership during disasters and emergencies,” Mr Musa stated. 

(NAN)