Nigerian President, Muhammadu Buhari, has received disaster reduction equipment worth N1.9bn as grant from the Government of Japan.
He disclosed this while receiving the 2020 annual report of the National Emergency Management Agency.
Key critical intervention activities, collaborative efforts with partnering agencies and related challenges formed the highlights of the report the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Farouq, received on behalf of the President.
In his speech, the Director General of NEMA, AVM Muhammadu Muhammed (rtd.), who handed over the report to the President, described 2020 as a very significant year when the world was ravaged by the Coronavirus Disease, which led to global lockdown.
“Nigeria was not exempted from the negative impact of this pandemic. Amid this global crisis, the nation was not spared from other devastating incidents ranging from flooding, fire, insurgency, banditry, kidnapping, road accidents, pipeline/gas explosions, herders/farmers clashes, communal clashes, cattle rustling and building collapse, among others,” Muhammed said.
He added that the nation also experienced the #EndSARS protests, which led to loss of life and property, conflict and looting, as well as displacement of persons across the country.
The DG noted that while the nation was facing the challenges, NEMA collaborated with Centre for Disaster Risk Management and Development Studies and partnered with Nigeria Centre for Disease Control to carry out public awareness campaigns against the spread of COVID-19.
“In collaboration with UN-Spider and National Space Research and Development Agency, and NEMA produced flood maps for efficient response. Advocacy visits were made to the 36 states of the federation and the Disaster Response Units of the armed forces on flood preparedness, mitigation and response,” he stated.
Charge’ d’ Affaires of the Embassy of Japan in Nigeria, Mr. Shinozawa Takayuki, said the aid was to support Nigeria’s effort to equip NEMA with disaster reduction related products of Japan.
