By Francis Okoye, Maiduguri

The United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) have tasked the states of the North East with risk analysis and emergency preparedness.

Speaking yesterday during the launch of a 3-day exercise to develop contingency planning for Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe states against emergency responses and risk analysis, UNICEF’s Emergency Manager, Andrea Malatesta, said the goal of the exercise is to enhance disaster response and preparedness, alleviating suffering in crisis-affected populations and communities.

He said the exercise aims to identify major risks and develop planning for better response and preparedness, focusing on various disasters, including outbreaks, natural hazards like flooding and heavy rainfall.

He noted that the expected outcomes include three contingency plans, one for each state, which will be integrated into national contingency planning.

He explained the importance of preparedness and contingency planning for an effective and efficient response. “This exercise aims to support communities in becoming better prepared and more resilient.

“By developing integrated plans aligning with national contingency plans, UNICEF strengthens disaster response and enhances the ability to respond to emergencies in the region,” Malatesta said.

Also speaking, the North-East’s Acting Coordinator, National Emergency Management Agency, Surajo Garba, said the purpose of the contingency plan is to prepare for and respond to potential disasters, such as flooding, which can lead to diseases like malaria and cholera.

He mentioned that the plan aims to reduce the impact of disasters by identifying risks, developing response techniques, and engaging with local communities.

“The programme is supported by headquarters and includes sensitization programmes, jingles, identification of higher ground, and mapping of local government areas.”

The team has been working with traditional rulers, government officials, and other stakeholders to raise awareness and distribute educational materials translated into different languages.

The goal is to empower communities to prepare for and respond to disasters effectively.” In his remarks, the Secretary of the Borno State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Mohammed Lawan Sheriff, said the workshop aims to enhance emergency response by fostering collaboration and knowledge sharing among ministries, departments, and agencies.

The SEMA’s Secretary encourages active participation, collaboration, and insight sharing among attendees to create a comprehensive and coordinated emergency response system.

He expresses gratitude to UNICEF and SEMA for their commitment to emergency preparedness and response, acknowledging their partnership and support in making the workshop possible.