From Okwe Obi, Abuja
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has trained emergency responders on mass casualty and hazard management during disaster situations in Nigeria.
Addressing participants at the training in Abuja on Monday, NEMA Director-General Mustapha Ahmed noted that the exercise is apt as it would help to save more lives during disasters through efficient emergency response.
Represented by the Director of Search and Rescue, Edward Adedokun, the Director-General said the training was ‘another opportunity for all participating Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to acquire new skills, share experiences and re-strategise to heighten our level of preparedness and sharpen our alertness level to achieve the goal of mass casualty handling, which is to save more lives as possible.’
He further explained that the training was necessitated by challenges of natural and human hazards, noting that ‘these hazards are further escalated by the worsening impacts of climate change through annual flood and draughts as well as activities of armed groups with huge humanitarian consequences.’
Ahmed, also emphasised the benefits of collective efforts in disaster management, adding that the ‘synergy of efforts and interoperability of various components through joint training and exercises, information sharing, expertise and resource utilisation in order to achieve the desired results.”
Relatedly, the Director-General of Federal Capital Territory Emergency Management Agency, Idris Abbass, said the positive response of stakeholders to the training was an affirmation of their willingness to collaborate for efficient disaster management in the country.
The participants were drawn from the Nigerian Police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps, Federal Road Safety Corps, FCT Emergency Management Agency and the Federal Fire Service.