Kaduna SEMA Lauds UNICEF for training, says ready for emergency response By; Alex Uangbaoje, Kaduna.

Kaduna SEMA Lauds UNICEF for training, says ready for emergency response 
By; Alex Uangbaoje, Kaduna.
‎Conscious of the fact that disaster can happen at any time, Kaduna State Emergency Management Agencies (KADSEMA) has said that it is prepared for any unforeseen circumstance that may likely happen in the future taken into cognizance the training received from UNICEF.
Speaking to Journalists at the end of a three day workshop on “Emergency Preparedness Planning and Update of State Contingency Plans”‎, organized by UNICEF for State Emergency Management Agencies (SEMAs) and other stakeholders in emergency management in both the North-west and North-Central states, Samson Gaura, Director Planning, Relief and Natural Disaster Management, KADSEMA expressed confidence that with the knowledge acquired at the workshop the agency can now tackle any challenge.
‎He said the era of waiting for disasters to happen before response is over as the agency will commence plans immediately in anticipation of what may happen in the future.
According to him,‎ change is inevitable in KADSEMA because a lots of knowledge has been impacted on participants to plan and respond to emergencies when they occur.
He hinted that the agency is going to begin a new approach to sensitising the public on early signs and warning so that the public will begin to understand ‎the need for them to be prepared and how to respond and cooperate with emergency managers when it comes.
While commending UNICEF for organising the Workshop, Samson said the workshop couldn’t have come at a better time than this as the state is just recovering from the flood that hit it recently.
‎In the same vein, other participants also express readiness to move their various states forward in containing emergencies. They added that adequate coordination can only be achieved when all stakeholders in the emergencies sector collaborate.
They noted that understanding the peculiarities and nature of any disaster is key in tackling emergencies, saying, that was one of the‎ key lessons of Preparedness they have learnt.
The workshop was attended by stakeholders in the emergency sector, including SEMAs, Food and Nutrition Agencies, Ministries of Health, Education, Budget and Planning, Information, Water Resources and the Media, from eight states within the North-West and North-Central of the country.