By; ALEX UANGBAOJE, Kaduna
The Executive Secretary (ES), Kaduna State Emergency Management Agency (KADSEMA), Muhammed Muazu Makaddas has identified the refusal of communities to adhere to advise and change their attitude as factors making disaster management difficult.
The ES expressed this at the opening of the 2022 Risk Analysis Mapping and Update of Multi Hazard Contingency Planning Review Meeting, supported by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), on Monday in Zaria.
He noted that Kaduna State is prone to various natural and man-made hazards, such as flood; banditry: kidnapping and fire outbreaks and these hazards pose serious threats to many communities in the state.
According to him, disaster management is a collective effort that requires everyone to take part to prevent or mitigate risks on human lives and property.
“Our vulnerability to these threats is further exacerbated by socio-economic factors, remote settlements, construction practices along flood prone areas, refusal to adapt to advisories and the need for urgent attitudinal change towards reducing vulnerabilities is a factor making disaster management difficult.
“KADSEMA in collaboration with donors, have implemented several activities and projects, aimed at mitigating effects of recurrence, and preparing stakeholders and communities to cope with effects of disasters in the state.
“Some of such efforts are the creation and activation of the Local Emergency Management Committees from all the 23 LGAs as enshrined in the National Disaster Master Plan.
“This workshop will enable humanitarian actors to effectively: identify hazards and evaluate the associated risks, prepare precautionary measures and coordinate emergency response preposition succour to ameliorate victim’s sufferings and support the victims to recover,” Makaddas said.
He commended UNICEF and other stakeholders for their support, saying, “we are grateful for the support and cooperation received from our stakeholders and donor UNICEF, as we work together to strengthen resilience and increase capacity to cope with emergencies in Kaduna State.”
Olayinka Afolabi, Emergency Specialist, UNICEF Country Office, Abuja, said the aim of the workshop is to ensure that SEMA and stakeholders develop a sub national Contingency Plan for approval.
He explained that it would be important for participants to be familiar with the procedures for contingency planning, review state risk analysis and develop scenarios for prioritized risk(s).
He added that they would equally be introduced to shock Responsive Social Protection, develop anticipatory sector response plans and also develop an estimated indicator-based budget.
He added that follow-up actions for preparedness are also recommended.
