NEMA sensitises students on disaster risk reduction in Niger

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) on Monday sensitised students of the School of Health Technology Minna, on disaster risk reduction and prevention in their environment.

Head of Disaster Risk Reduction Unit, NEMA, Minna Operations Office, Dr Zainab Ndanusa, said at a one-day sensitisation programme that the event was to increase the students’ level of awareness and equip them with skills to mainstream their activities in disaster risk reduction.

She added that the sensitisation was also to build the capacities of health students/workers towards disaster prevention in communities.

“We are here to build the resilient of the students for them to start to prevent disaster from their daily activities before a disaster happens,” she said.

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Ndanusa added that disaster risk reduction was measures put in place to prevent disaster before its occurrence, adding that people should prevent disasters in their environment before they happen.

Public Relation Officer of NEMA in Niger, Mr Dahir Kure, in his presentation on the overview of NEMA, said the agency is mandated to manage disasters in all ramifications with an emphasis on coordinating stakeholders.

He said the agency works with stakeholders to coordinate and manage disasters, educate the public on disaster management and control as well as provide food and non-food relief materials for victims of disasters.

In his presentation on tips of first aid, Resource Mobilisation Field Officer of the Nigerian Red Cross Society, Niger State branch, Usman Isah, said that an emergency responder should observe the environment to ensure it is safe before going in.

In their separate remarks, the students pledged to incorporate disaster risk reduction into their studies as well as their day-to-day activities.

Adelowo Oladipo