Nigeria: Nema calls on local govts to reduce disaster loss

"When disasters occur, the impact is usually felt in a locality, we will increase the awareness of local government officials to disaster management and disaster risk reduction," stated Alhaji Mohammad Sani-Sidi, Director General of the National Emergency Management Agency at a recent workshop for local government officials, reports Laide Akinboade for Vanguard.

“Available records have shown that the communities, therefore, need to be involved in the management of risks that may threaten their well being and the efforts geared towards disaster management should be targeted at the communities", continued Sani-Sidi.

“Unless these efforts are sustainable at individual and community levels, it will be difficult to reduce the losses and scale of destruction from disaster-related emergencies. Communal efforts were the backbone of every society in Nigeria.”