The Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu has said that Nigeria needs creative funding solutions for the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).
Femi Gbajabiamila during a visit to NEMA’s headquarters in Abuja on Wednesday, August 28, 2024, emphasised the importance of thinking outside the box
The former lawmaker also proposed that state governments could contribute through a potential insurance scheme or counterpart funding, highlighting that disasters primarily affected local areas.
He called for a shift in focus from disaster mitigation to prevention, stressing that many disasters could be avoided with proper planning and early warnings.
Acknowledging that NEMA required substantial resources to fund its technological advancement, relief materials, and logistics operations, Gbajabiamila noted that Nigeria, like every other country, had limited resources that must be prioritised.
His words, “I believe it’s time we started exploring innovative ways to fund NEMA, in addition to the usual budgetary allocations.
“One possible solution is to engage state governments in contributing to a collective fund or insurance scheme, as disasters predominantly affect local areas,” Gbajabiamila said.
He also tasked NEMA to take early warnings of flooding seriously to prevent annual disasters.
“Flooding is a perennial problem in Nigeria, and it’s essential we take proactive measures to mitigate its impact,” he said.
Earlier, NEMA’s Director General, Zubaida Umar, presented the agency’s activities from January to August 2024, highlighting responses to 158 emergencies, aid to 118,337 individuals, and rescue of over 4,700 people.
However, she noted 1,400 fatalities and emphasised the need for improved funding and infrastructure to enhance the agency’s operational capabilities.
Mrs Umar listed funding constraints, poor infrastructure, coordination challenges, climate change, logistical difficulties, and insecurity as significant challenges facing NEMA’s operations.
She expressed aspirations to improve funding sources, respond to emergencies within 24 hours, and leverage technologies like drones and early warning systems.