The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), Malam Muhammad Bello recently in Abuja, the Nigerian capital, said the FCTA will work very closely with the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to improve emergency preparedness and promote timely response to emergency situations in the nation’s capital.

Bello made this disclosure when the Director-General, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mustapha Habib Ahmed, paid him a courtesy visit.

The Minister also disclosed that the FCT Administration is assiduously to improve enforcement of the city’s planning regulations, especially in areas that are prone to flooding and other natural disasters to reduce disaster risks in the FCT.

 While underscoring the importance of an effective collaboration between the two agencies of government, Bello thanked NEMA’s DG for the support that the Agency has provided during flooding incidents and occasional disasters in the FCT, including its capacity building and palliative support which he said have also been very helpful .

The Minister thereafter pledged the continued support of the FCT Administration for the activities of  NEMA in tackling emergency situations, even as he assured that the FCTA will work to ensure the successful hosting of the Agency’s forthcoming National Conference on Disaster Management scheduled to take place in the FCT.

Malam Bello also assured that the FCTA will provide suitable locations in the city centre for the construction of an alternative Emergency Response and Ambulance Bay (ERAB) to replace the one destroyed during some unrests in the past.

Earlier in his remarks, the Director-General, NEMA, Mustapha Habib Ahmed, said the Agency, over the years, has nursed the vision of working with the FCT Administration to build  robust mutual support and collaboration in confronting the daunting task of disaster risk management in the FCT and across the nation

According to the DG, Abuja’s position as the nation’s capital city and centre of innovation as a result of hosting Nigerians across the states of the country, is the most suitable place to develop the culture of disaster risk reduction and communal resilience that will gradually permeate to other parts of the country.

He therefore called for closer cooperation with the FCTA through the FCT Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), to safeguard the city’s ever-growing population as well as the nation’s most valuable assets that are situated in the FCT, including foreign missions and various corporate headquarters.

The DG also assured that the NEMA will continue to engage the FEMA and other stakeholders in the FCT on capacity building of their personnel at both tactical and operational levels.

The DG further disclosed that NEMA has established an operational office to cater for the FCT and Kogi State, adding that the Agency has commenced the process of renovating and reactivating its Emergency Response Bays located in strategic sites of Abuja equipped with MICUs and trained paramedics for timely disaster response.

Also present during the visit were the Permanent Secretary, FCTA, Mr Olusade Adesola, Chief of Staff to the Minister, Malam Bashir Mai-Bornu, Executive Secretary of the FCDA, Engr Shehu Hadi Ahmed, Coordinator, Abuja Metropolitan Management Council, TPL Umar Shuaibu, DG, FCT Emergency Management Agency Dr Abbas Idriss, Executive Secretary Kaduna State Emergency Management Agency Muhammed Mukkadas and other senior officials of the FCTA and NEMA.

FCTA/OCPS/PR/358

1. FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello (Right) welcoming the Director General National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) Mustapha Habib Ahmed during latter’s visit to the FCTA

2. Director General, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) Mustapha Habib Ahmed decorating the FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello with NEMA’s emblem during the visit of  NEMA t the FCTA

3 FCT Minister Malam Muhammad Musa Bello (5th left), DG National Emergency Management Agency NEMA Mustapha Habib Ahmed (6th left) Permanent Secretary, FCTA, Mr Olusade Adesola (2nd right), Chief of Staff to FCT Minister, Malam Bashir Mai-Bornu (1st right) Executive Secretary Kaduna SEMA Muhammed Mukkadas (4th left),Coordinator FCTA  AMMC TPL Umar Shuaibu  during the visit of NEMA delegation to the FCTA