*Describes him as the shining light of the Agency
By; ALEX UANGBAOJE, Kaduna
With mixed emotions, staff and stakeholders recently bid the the Executive Secretary of Kaduna State Emergency Management Agency (KADSEMA), Muhammed Mu’azu Mukaddas, farewell as he exits the agency.
Some of the staff who could not hold their tears during a valedictory meeting organized in his honour, recount the fatherly role he played in their lives during the 21 months they worked with him.
They described him as a teacher, a team player and a rare professional whose unique style of leadership took the agency from near zero level to a professional and productive disaster management organization that brought Kaduna State to second top in Nigeria as adjudged by disaster management experts.
According to them, he was so open that he related with everyone more like colleague and friends than mere subordinates. They therefore, promised to emulate his style of leadership and wished him a more successful carrier as he assumes his new responsibility at the Community and Social Development Agency (CSDA).
The administration of former Governor el-Rufai appointed Mukaddas as Executive Secretary KADSEMA in November 2021 to transform the agency into a professional emergency management organization; To correct anomalies and strenghten the system.
He has been re-appointed by His Excellency Governor Uba Sani, as the General Manager of Kaduna State Community and Social Development Agency, a Government / World Bank Programmr of Cooperation.
Mukaddas, who became emotional while responding to the commendations, expressed gratitude to all the staff and stakeholders for their co-operation and support in his sojourn. He advised them to strive to further improve themselves so as to remain competitive at all times. He asked for their forgiveness as he may have stepped on toes in his bid to entrench good governance. He added that it was in the best interest and progress of the agency.
He urged them to support the incoming ES as they supported him.
Mukaddas appreciated former Governor Nasir Ahmad el-Rufai for the confidence reposed in him and entrusting him with leadership of the agency. He equally thanked Governor Uba Sani, for appointing him to lead Kaduna State Community and Social Development Agency. He pledged to extend same level of commitment to achieve results for Kaduna State.
He, appreciated donor agencies and other stakeholders for their technical and funding support to KADSEMA.
“Gratitude to stakeholders, donors and KADSEMA colleagues for their unending commitments and zeal to ensuring safer and resilient communities in Kaduna. Together, we achieved so much within Emergency Management Cycle; Strengthened the agency’s system; Gained trust / expanded partnerships with International Development Partners and Donors; Developed Capacities across MDAs et al, within these past 21 months”. He said
Under his leadership, aside the disaster management tasks, KADSEMA, practically became a capacity development ground for Ministries, Departments and Agencies. Mukaddas personally built capacities of 1,366 personnel across the state MDAs, Kashim Ibrahim Fellowships (KIFs), Department of State Services (DSS), Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), KADVIS and the Local Emergency Management Committees (LEMCs) on Emergency Preparedness and Response (EPR), in 2022 and 2023.
The agency also established collaborative relationships with donor organizations such as United Nations Children Funds (UNICEF), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), World Health Organization (WHO), Victims Support Fund (VSF), Plan International, Care Nigeria and Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), and regained trust of old relationships with Christian Aid and Cooperazione Internazionale (COOPI).
KADSEMA, became more proactive in preventing and mitigating disaster rather than responding to emergencies with the review of the Risk Analysis Map and Multi-Sectoral Contingency Plan.
On 28th March 2022, Mukaddas led humanitarian actors on a search, rescue and evacuation operation post attack of the Abuja – Kaduna AK9 train when 9 passengers were killed; 26 severely injured; 68 abducted. The incident was described as a national disaster.
One of his first achievements in office was the creation of the Local Emergency Management Committee (LEMCs) in all 23 LGAs of the state, which now serves as first responders in communities.
The agency also established an Emergency Operation and Coordination Center (EOC/ECC) with memberships from SEMA, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the Red Cross, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corp (NSCDC), relevant MDAs and CSOs to periodically review goings-on and emerging threats. The committee met bi-weekly under his leadership.
A tactical team comprising SEMA, NEMA, Fire Service, Red Cross, Security agencies, LEMCs and divers, was also set up. The team is responsible for search, rescue and evacuation actions and it is coordinated by the State Fire Service.
A Multi-Agency Coordination with composition drawn from senior Directors of relevant MDAs to handle strategic decision making was also established and led by the ES Mukaddas.
