The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has called for robust synergy among stakeholders to effectively mitigate and tackle disasters and emergencies in states within the South-East.

The acting Zonal Coordinator of NEMA South-East, Mrs Ngozi Echeazu, made the call in an address at an expanded NEMA South-East Zonal Stakeholders Meeting in Enugu on Friday.

Mrs Echeazu urged the stakeholders to keep working together for seamless disaster management in the entire South-East, especially in Enugu State.

She pointed out that NEMA had moved from a reactionary to proactive disaster and emergency management agency.

According to her, the agency is emphasising and leveraging on stakeholders’ collaboration and use of their various specialities to checkmate disasters and reduce human, property and environmental losses during disasters.

The coordinator said that the Agency placed a high premium on the support and assistance it had continued to receive from its stakeholders.

“We are calling for more and your timely intervention when the emergency needs arise”.

“We have to work hard and work as a team to prevent disaster in the South-East.

“Disasters like flood, windstorm, fire, road/air accident, insecurity, and epidemics needed proactive steps to checkmate and needed involvement of all stakeholders,” she appealed.

The coordinator also highlighted the 2023 Seasonal Climate Prediction, which needed careful and concerted efforts of all stakeholders to tackle.

“We also have to deliberate on the need to improve our individual agencies/commands/organisational capacities, equipment holdings in anticipation to disaster/emergency situations and emergency numbers of the different stakeholders,” she said.

Speaking, the Commissioner of Police in Enugu state, Ahmed Ammani, assured NEMA of the commitment of the police command to fully assist in disaster and emergency situations whenever called on.

Mr Ammani, who was represented by ACP Onyeanu Akaeme, said that the command had a full-fledged unit that oversees issues of disasters/emergencies with trained and well-motivated officers and men to carry out such special assignments.

“We are always ready to protect Nigerians even as police emergency and control room numbers are there in the public domain and which will be shared here for your seamless notification.

“As a command, we appreciate this closer synergy and collaboration being coordinated by NEMA,” he said.

The zonal controller of fire, Godwin Egbe, said that the Federal Fire Service would give NEMA all the assistance it solicits and ensure Nigerians are safe.

“As first responders, the Federal Fire Service (FFS) is committed to its mandate and we will avail our service as usual to Nigerians anywhere, anytime and any place we are called upon,” he said.

The meeting was also attended by heads of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC), Enugu State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) and officials of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet).

Others are officials of the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Nigerian Red Cross Society, Enugu state chapter, Local Emergency Management Committee (LEM-C) and the media.

(NAN)