Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, has stressed the need for creative funding solutions for the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).
Gbajabiamila emphasised the importance of thinking outside the box, during his visit to NEMA’s headquarters in Abuja on Wednesday,
He proposed that state governments could contribute through a potential insurance scheme or counterpart funding, highlighting that disasters primarily affected local areas.
Gbajabiamila also called for a shift in focus from disaster mitigation to prevention, stressing that many disasters could be avoided with proper planning and early warnings.
He acknowledged that NEMA required substantial resources to fund its technological advancement, relief materials, and logistics operations, but noted that Nigeria, like every other country, had limited resources that must be prioritised.
“I believe it’s time we started exploring innovative ways to fund NEMA, in addition to the usual budgetary allocations.
“One possible solution is to engage state governments in contributing to a collective fund or insurance scheme, as disasters predominantly affect local areas.”
He also tasked NEMA to take early warnings of flooding seriously to prevent annual disasters.
“Flooding is a perennial problem in Nigeria, and it’s essential we take proactive measures to mitigate its impact,” he said.
Earlier, NEMA’s Director-General, Mrs Zubaida Umar, presented the agency’s activities from January to August 2024, highlighting responses to 158 emergencies, aid to 118,337 individuals, and rescue of over 4,700 people.
However, she noted 1,400 fatalities and emphasised the need for improved funding and infrastructure to enhance the agency’s operational capabilities.
Umar listed funding constraints, poor infrastructure, coordination challenges, climate change, logistical difficulties, and insecurity as significant challenges facing NEMA’s operations.
She expressed aspirations to improve funding sources, respond to emergencies within 24 hours, and leverage technologies like drones and early warning systems.(NAN)