NATIONAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY
Press Release
NEMA Reviews Actions over Beechcraft
Aircraft Without ELT Ban from Operating in Nigeria
Aircraft without the latest Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT) 406, a digital devise that sends out signal in distress situation, will not be allowed to operate in Nigeria as from 1st January 2009. Similarly no aircraft will be registered or granted certificate of airworthiness without the devise installed.
The disclosure was made in Abuja at a meeting of stakeholders called by National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to review the search and rescue operation during the incident of the Beechcraft 1900-5N JAH Wings Aviation Aircraft which disappeared over Obudu in Cross River State in March 15, 2008 and was not recovered until after about 6 months, despite the intensive search operation.
The meeting of the stakeholders which was held today at Transcorp Hotel Abuja was to discuss the challenges encountered during the operation with a view to averting a recurrence and improving speedy reactions in case of similar occurrence in future.
The Director General of NEMA AVM Mohammed Audu-Bida (Rtd.) in his Opening Remark at the meeting admitted that the time lag during the last plane crash created a lot of uncertainties and expectedly there were a lot of pressures from the government and the public.
Audu-Bida noted that there was buck-passing amongst concerned agencies, with each organization trying to explain where its roles began and ended which further exposed the inadequacies of the country’s SAR operation and the challenges faced by agencies charged with the responsibility. While commending the efforts of some of the stakeholders, he said “we should not wait for another accident before we work out strategies to avoid recurrence.”
The DG added that the meeting has not been called to apportion blames on any organization because past experiences have shown that conflicts and distrusts amongst agencies only exacerbates already serious challenges raised by disasters.
He also informed the stakeholders that the agency has compiled a list of specialized and critical equipment to boost operations and further enhance the country’s search, rescue and disaster management capabilities which is receiving the attention of the Presidency.
Some of the agencies that attended the meeting include National Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB), Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Nigeria Security Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Nigeria Air Force (NAF), Federal Fire Service, Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Nigeria Communication Commission (NCC) and private helicopter providers.
The meeting would come out with analysis, recommendations and implementation strategies that would strengthen cooperation, collaboration, coordination and communication among stakeholders and agencies. Every organization would have the opportunity to present their experiences and challenges with a view to formulating the way forward. They would also deliberate on a document on Search and Rescue and Epidemic Evacuation Plan for Nigeria to ensure that it effectively captures the intention for which it was drafted and operationalise the document.
Yushau A. Shuaib
Head Press and Public Relations
GSM 0803-5555-999
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Monday, November 10, 2008
NEMA warns against Fire during harmattan..... not responsible for compensation
NATIONAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY
ABUJA
PRESS RELEASE
NEMA Warns Against Fire during Harmattan
… Not Responsible for Compensation
The rampant fire outbreaks across the country especially in the Northern part of Nigeria have been attributed to lack of public consciousness on the harmattan period which is the peak of dry season with extremely dry dusty wind that blows from the Sahara toward the western coast of Africa, especially between November and March.
The Director General of National Emergency Management Agency, AVM Mohammed Audu-Bida (Rtd) disclosed that Harmattan period is associated with dry season with attendant strong winds that further can easily ignite and blow any inflammable at unpredictable pace.
Within a week, NEMA officials inspected two major markets that caught fire after it had sent warning signals on likelihood of fire outbreak during the harmattan seasons last month. Th recent markets that caught fire are the popular Gasua Central Market in Yobe State and Sabon Gari Market in Kano State where billions of Naira in goods and properties were lost.
Audu-Bida added that, the agency has continued to send precautionary warnings to all tiers of government to sensitize their people on preventive measure to avert fire outbreak through practical demonstration and public enlightenment on fire fighting techniques as measures for preventing and mitigating frequent fire outbreak and its effects on the people.
More fire outbreaks may be recorded, especially in congested markets if the public are not conscious of preventive techniques and without provisions of adequate fire-fighting kits in strategic places to manage such incidences.
No Compensation to Victims only through Insurance
The agency also added that it is not responsible for payment of compensations over fire disasters but it provides immediate succour and relief in term of injury and sufferings to the victims.
He regretted that as much as the agency has been calling on market owners and traders to insure their goods and properties through a flexible insurance policy, the service were ignored by the traders. Such insurance covers apart from being investment schemes would have ensured adequate sustenance and protection of businesses against any form of disaster. According to him “The agency had consulted with insurance firms to provide flexible insurance cover for goods and business premises at affordable rates, but most businessmen, especially traders ignored our warnings and services that would have afforded them the opportunity to recoup their losses in case of such disaster. “
The Director General said that NEMA is not responsible for compensations but can provide immediate relief material to alleviate their sufferings. He therefore advised traders to embrace the option of insurance to enable optimum recovery of their business. The scheme we introduced entails the payment of small premium while the goods will be insured against the disaster taking place which would allow the trader recoup his losses in full.” He added
.
__,_._,___
ABUJA
PRESS RELEASE
NEMA Warns Against Fire during Harmattan
… Not Responsible for Compensation
The rampant fire outbreaks across the country especially in the Northern part of Nigeria have been attributed to lack of public consciousness on the harmattan period which is the peak of dry season with extremely dry dusty wind that blows from the Sahara toward the western coast of Africa, especially between November and March.
The Director General of National Emergency Management Agency, AVM Mohammed Audu-Bida (Rtd) disclosed that Harmattan period is associated with dry season with attendant strong winds that further can easily ignite and blow any inflammable at unpredictable pace.
Within a week, NEMA officials inspected two major markets that caught fire after it had sent warning signals on likelihood of fire outbreak during the harmattan seasons last month. Th recent markets that caught fire are the popular Gasua Central Market in Yobe State and Sabon Gari Market in Kano State where billions of Naira in goods and properties were lost.
Audu-Bida added that, the agency has continued to send precautionary warnings to all tiers of government to sensitize their people on preventive measure to avert fire outbreak through practical demonstration and public enlightenment on fire fighting techniques as measures for preventing and mitigating frequent fire outbreak and its effects on the people.
More fire outbreaks may be recorded, especially in congested markets if the public are not conscious of preventive techniques and without provisions of adequate fire-fighting kits in strategic places to manage such incidences.
No Compensation to Victims only through Insurance
The agency also added that it is not responsible for payment of compensations over fire disasters but it provides immediate succour and relief in term of injury and sufferings to the victims.
He regretted that as much as the agency has been calling on market owners and traders to insure their goods and properties through a flexible insurance policy, the service were ignored by the traders. Such insurance covers apart from being investment schemes would have ensured adequate sustenance and protection of businesses against any form of disaster. According to him “The agency had consulted with insurance firms to provide flexible insurance cover for goods and business premises at affordable rates, but most businessmen, especially traders ignored our warnings and services that would have afforded them the opportunity to recoup their losses in case of such disaster. “
The Director General said that NEMA is not responsible for compensations but can provide immediate relief material to alleviate their sufferings. He therefore advised traders to embrace the option of insurance to enable optimum recovery of their business. The scheme we introduced entails the payment of small premium while the goods will be insured against the disaster taking place which would allow the trader recoup his losses in full.” He added
.
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Thursday, November 6, 2008
PRESS RELEASE
NEMA TO PARTNER WITH NRCS ON AMBULANCE SERVICES
The National Emergency Management Agency is to partner with the Nigerian Red Cross Society (NRCS) to commence the provision of ambulance services in the country.
Director General of the agency AVM Mohammed M. Audu-Bida (rtd) disclosed this in Abuja today when he received in his office, a delegation from the international partners of the Nigerian Red Cross Society led by the national adviser of the society on disaster management, Alhaji Danyaro Aliyu Yakasai. He said though the agency has already procured some units of ambulance vehicles, it will beef up the number for the services to commence on a pilot basis in Abuja before spreading to cover other parts of the country.
“Ambulance service is seriously needed in Nigeria. We need virile and active ambulance services for emergency rescue which can be realized with the pulling together of resources and partnership among the relevant agencies and organizations,” he said. Therefore, according to him, the federal ministry of health would also be involved in the provision of the services.
He said in view of the absence of formal curriculum on disaster management in the country, NEMA has adopted the Nigerian Red Cross Society in providing training on basic first aid to participants of its grassroots emergency volunteers programmes. He also noted the useful potential of the society in disaster Early Warning. The Director General said with the potentials of the society in Nigeria, it should brace up to assert itself in playing a more leading role among other African countries.
Leader of the international partners of the Nigerian Red Cross Society Mr. Mohammed Hamza of the Swedish Rescue Services Agency said they were in Nigeria to work with the society under its West African Capacity Building Project on Disaster Risk Reduction.
The National Adviser of the Society, Alhaji Yakassai, a former Corp Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Commission, said with its over 350,000 well trained volunteers it has designed a programme for the Niger Delta area and will build clinic in each of the 36 states in addition to the ambulance services.
4TH November 2008
NEMA TO PARTNER WITH NRCS ON AMBULANCE SERVICES
The National Emergency Management Agency is to partner with the Nigerian Red Cross Society (NRCS) to commence the provision of ambulance services in the country.
Director General of the agency AVM Mohammed M. Audu-Bida (rtd) disclosed this in Abuja today when he received in his office, a delegation from the international partners of the Nigerian Red Cross Society led by the national adviser of the society on disaster management, Alhaji Danyaro Aliyu Yakasai. He said though the agency has already procured some units of ambulance vehicles, it will beef up the number for the services to commence on a pilot basis in Abuja before spreading to cover other parts of the country.
“Ambulance service is seriously needed in Nigeria. We need virile and active ambulance services for emergency rescue which can be realized with the pulling together of resources and partnership among the relevant agencies and organizations,” he said. Therefore, according to him, the federal ministry of health would also be involved in the provision of the services.
He said in view of the absence of formal curriculum on disaster management in the country, NEMA has adopted the Nigerian Red Cross Society in providing training on basic first aid to participants of its grassroots emergency volunteers programmes. He also noted the useful potential of the society in disaster Early Warning. The Director General said with the potentials of the society in Nigeria, it should brace up to assert itself in playing a more leading role among other African countries.
Leader of the international partners of the Nigerian Red Cross Society Mr. Mohammed Hamza of the Swedish Rescue Services Agency said they were in Nigeria to work with the society under its West African Capacity Building Project on Disaster Risk Reduction.
The National Adviser of the Society, Alhaji Yakassai, a former Corp Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Commission, said with its over 350,000 well trained volunteers it has designed a programme for the Niger Delta area and will build clinic in each of the 36 states in addition to the ambulance services.
4TH November 2008
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