FG ESTABLISHES 57 DISASTER REACTION UNITS

Federal Government has created 57 Disaster Reaction Units across the federation to tackle emergency situations that could warrant immediate response of agencies, especially the Military.

This was  disclosed by  the Public Relations Officer of the agency, Mr. Yushau Shuaib, in a press statement, weekend.
He quoted  Mrs. Clementine Aisueni, who represented  the Director-General of National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, Alhaji Mohammed Sani-Sidi while receiving students of Defence Intelligence Officers’ Course on a visit to the agency.

Sani-Sidi said: “In Nigeria, due to the realisation of the uniqueness of military capability, 57 designated Disaster Reaction Units were established across the country.”

He explained that  the necessity for  creating the Disaster Reaction Units with the  full involvement of the armed forces was  based on the military’s specialised training, equipment handling, discipline, command and selflessness, and as a key stakeholder in disaster management in the country.

He further stated that the Nigerian armed forces has a robust relationship with NEMA  and has been part of the development off all disaster management policies including  participating  in simulation exercises and training.

He further stated that  the agency has continued to strengthen existing partnership with the major stakeholders in disaster management in Nigeria for efficient and effective responses to emergency situations in the country as it prepares for 2011 election adding that  the move was imperative to create the required synergy and overcome any challenge as disaster management was a collective

Represented by the Director of Training, Mrs. Clementine Aisueni, the NEMA boss said the Nigerian armed forces has a robust relationship with NEMA  and has been part of the development off all disaster management policies, participated in simulation exercises and training.

Meanwhile the agency has continued to strengthen existing partnership with the major stakeholders in disaster management in Nigeria for efficient and effective responses to emergency situations in the country as it prepares for 2011 Election. The NEMA boss said the move was imperative to create the required synergy and overcome any challenge as disaster management was a collective responsibility as NEMA is desirous to carry along all the stakeholders.

He spoke in Jaji, through NEMA’s Director Search and Rescue Air Commodore Abayomi A. Bankole at the opening of a simulation exercise organized by the Agency in collaboration with the Armed Forces simulation Centre. He said the agency has mobilized the stakeholders in disaster management to prepare ahead of the 2011 general elections to ensure safety of the citizens.

Sani_Sidi said that the recent global trends have necessitated the preparations in bringing together the stakeholders to create required synergy and identify roles for safety, particularly in public places.  He cited the recent Abuja blasts in October and similar experiences elsewhere in the world which have opened a new dimension for disaster management to ensure greater safety in public places.

He therefore, urged the stakeholders to cooperate with NEMA and take advantage of the simulation exercise to identify their various roles and make in puts where necessary.

Also speaking, Director of the Armed Forces Simulation centre Major General Godwin Umoh said the exercise was designed to simulate a real life scenario to equip the participants with practical lifesaving skills.