DISASTER MANAGEMENT: SEMAs Our Weakest Links To Disaster Management

DISASTER MANAGEMENT: SEMAs Our Weakest Links To Disaster Management - DG NEMA

The Director General of the national Emergency Management Agency NEMA Mustapha Maihaja says the State Emergency Management Agency SEMA are the weakest links it has in disaster response management in the country. The Director General of the agency made this known when members of the Senate Committee on Special Duties led by Senator Abdulaziz Nyako visited NEMA as part of its oversight.

The Director General of the agency while answering a question from the Chairman of the Committee said there is poor funding of SEMA and most of them are understaffed.

He also said it will be difficult to close down the Intenal Displaced Persons camps because most international organisations are opposed to it. He also said the International Humanitarian Law IHL prevents the closure of the camps because it has not met the requirement for its closure.

The NEMA DG stated that disaster managers are doing distributions in IDP camps in Borno and Adamawa states and those in the camps are fed daily.

While answering questions from reporters, the Chairman of the Committee Sen. Nyako decried the poor funding of the National Emergency Management Agency stressing that it is affecting disaster management in the country. ''it is sad that when the budget for the committee is prepared, les than twenty percent is released and this is not good for a country that has so much disaster challenges'' he said.

Sen. Nyako said the Committee was impressed by the presentation of the Director General but said they should start working on the budget for next year in order to help the committee work on it on time.

Other Senators who were part of the oversight visit are Sen. Kabiru Gaya and Sen. Frank Ogbuewu.

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