OPINION
The appointment of Hajiya Zubaida Umar, as the Director General, Chief Executive officer CEO , National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA goes down memory lane in the last one year, 2024, that had discouraged and deterred the then agency from the usually known sharp practices, business as usual of manipulations of beneficiaries entitlements, denials , outright refusal , diversion, embezzlement, naked stealing, collision, lackadaisical attitude to work of staffers, and all manners of connivances with contractors to promote unhealthy practices in their activities.
The promise to reposition the emergency and disaster agency has began to manifest earnestly with effective partnerships with the relevant agencies when she assumed duty one year ago , Agencies like the Military and para-military agencies which included the Police , Nigeria Security Civil Defence, NSCDC, Nigeria Fire Service NFS, the Customs, NDLEA, particularly to enhance the new approach and brisk response adopted by the new management.
Zubaida with the zeal and determination of rejigging the agency to the current realities, refocused the response unit, RU, through the introduction of Disaster Response Unit , DRU and emergency response unit across it’s offices and sub-nationals and the 774 local government areas which gave a new approach to the activities of the agency.
This was assisted greatly by the effective use and deployment of the military and para-military personel for efficient security of any emergencies and disaster environment through the new reform approach.
Effective surveillances approaches and
working round the clock 24/7 through a new reorientation, training and capacity building of staffers across board had changed the trend of performance and operations in the agency on assumption of duty of the new management.
On the spot and constant coordination of activities and disaster management and control by the new leadership were it occurs whether natural and mostly artificial ones, are curbed without obvious delays and bureaucracy to promote synergy and effectiveness.
The establishment and rejigging of Local Emergency Committees, LEC’s with collaboration with States ,Local Governments through effective awareness and sensitisation programs which is key particularly during fire outbreaks, floodings and other natural occurrences that enabled residents of flood prone areas move upland to avoid recurrence and many times death’s .
Aside partnerships with military and para-military agencies , Hospitals like the National Hospital, Federal Medical Center, University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital Gwagwalada and some private ones at the federal level, including health facilities at States level and local governments for quick responses and recovery to all forms of disaster management.
Creation and coordination, awareness/sensitisation through writing to states and local governments constantly have assisted greatly , as 33 states was predicted of flooding in 2025, but through this approach alot of negative activities was nipped in the bud and some of the predictions were curtailed through sensitisation.
The adoption of new simulation exercise method to enhance safety owing to floodings, boat mishap in collaboration with National Inland Waterways Authority, NIWA, some states water agencies , particularly those sorrounded with water, through monitoring of movements on the seas,water and distribution of life saving jackets, regulations and inspection has assisted greatly and ensured flood safety.
The priority placed by the Zubaida Umar led National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, on constant orientation, re-orientation and advisory to users of water transportation has reduced to the barest minimum with adequate monitoring.
The predictions and constant sensitisation, country’s hazard analysis monthly
sanitation, clearing of drainages,
advocacies along with Civil Society Organization CSOs and Non- Governmental Agencies NGOs became a recurring decimals of the activities of NEMA.
Collaborations with States Emergency Management Agencies, SEMA/ , newly created Local Emergency Committee, LEMC’s 774 local governments with a view to devising emergency and disaster strategies for interventions, orientation and reorientation before the attention of states and federal government through NEMA are been inculcated
Zubaida Umar gave adequate attention to constant review of activities, assessment, enumeration of it’s
activities.
She Collaborated and indirect monitoring of activities of SEMA, local government emergency bodies to ensure brisk attention and response to disaster emergencies are always canvassed.
The incidences of floodings in Borno in 2024 , Mokwa in Niger State early in 2025 had assisted greatly the agency to develop proactive tendencies to it’s assignments through precautions, predictions and resistance that had led to the sensitisation of 33 states in 2025 .
Close monitoring and transparency in the distribution of relief materials to ensure those directly involved and control double allocations among other manipulations with genuine lists and pictorial evidences are cynosure of it’s activities and operations in recent times.
Gradual digitization, staff training, capacity building and mass awareness to move the agency from manual and analogue activities has assisted the management of the agency in the smooth running and transformation of it’s programs
On the whole , the supports from the Presidency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu under the Renewed Hope Agenda which is the guiding principles, policies and programs to the success of the agency.
The supports has enhanced projects and jobs execution and constant response to the statutory mandate of the agency
disaster needs assessment
The disaster and management policies under the leadership of Hajiya Zubaida Umar as the Director General has moved forward the agency towards meeting the current trend of managing both natural and artificial phenomenon.
Written BY ABUBAKAR YUSUF on yus.abubakar3@gmail.com.
