Saturday, December 17, 2016

CURRENT HUMANITARIAN CRISIS IN THE COUNTRY, A MAJOR CHALLENGE TO NEMA ... DG

NATIONAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY
Press release

CURRENT HUMANITARIAN CRISIS IN THE COUNTRY, A MAJOR CHALLENGE TO NEMA ... DG

The Director General of the National Emergency Management Agency, Muhammad Sani Sidi , has said  that one of the major challenges the agency has been facing was  responding to the current humanitarian crisis resulting from insurgency in the North East and criminal activities in the  North west, particularly in  Zamfara State.

He disclosed this at the annual retreat organized for Members of the House of Representatives Committee on Emergency and Disaster Preparedness in Jos, Plateau State.
  
San Sidi  said “this year has been challenging just like last year, we have been occupied responding to the issues in  North east and North west, particularly Zamfara State’’.

He observed that Nigerian displacement was unique around the world, as only about 10% of the displaced persons   were living in official camps while  the majority of them were being hosted by relatives  and host communities.

He said “Insurgency is new to us as a people and as a country, managing its consequence will certainly be new to us, but we are learning and I want to assure you that we are learning fast as an agency and as a country”.

“I know that there is no way as an agency can perform effectively and efficiently without the support and collaboration of the distinguished Honourable Members. Therefore, this is a platform that enables us to enlighten and create awareness and to mention some of the challenges that we face and some of the good advices we can get from you,” he said.

The Chairman of the committee, represented by the Vice Chairman, Hon. Ali Isa (JC) in his remarks, said the retreat was an annual event where members are briefed by the Zonal Coordinators and head of operations offices on disaster and challenges around the country.

He said, “I strongly believe that with the little resources the agency receives, it has been very effective in handling most of emergency cases in the country”. He said the committee will look at the Act of the agency with a view to enhance and improve the functions of the agency.

Highlights of the event included presentations on: Emerging Issues and dynamics of Emergency Management in Multi-crises Environment: Option for the North East, by Mr. Soji Adeniyi, and the Imperative of Improved Legislative Framework for NEMA by the agency’s legal adviser.

The retreat is an annual event organised by the agency to enlighten the committee members on the activities of the   agency and challenges faced in the year under review.

Sani Datti
Head Media and Public relations

17th December 2016

Sunday, December 4, 2016

NEMA DELIVERS 1,460 BAGS OF FOOD ITEMS TO NIGERIAN REFUGEES IN THE REPUBLIC OF CAMEROUN

NATIONAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY

Press release

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), at the weekend, delivered 1,460 bags of assorted food items on behalf of the Federal Government for the feeding of about 80,709 Nigerian refugees, mostly from Borno State, in the Republic of Cameroun. 


The Nigerians who were displaced by Boko Haram insurgents are taking shelter in Minawao and other locations in the far north region of Cameroun. 

The Director General of NEMA, Muhammad Sani Sidi, who was represented by the Agency’s Director of Search and Rescue, Air Commodore SBB Muhammad, handed over the items to officials of Cameroun for onward presentation to the United Nations High Commission for Refugee (UNHCR) which has been managing the camp. He said the items were meant to provide succor to the Nigerian refugees.

In his message, the Director General said NEMA will continue to liaise with the Government of the Republic of Cameroun to ensure that all Nigeria refugees are living in good condition. He appealed to youths in the camps to desist from using drugs and urged them to always be of good character and be good ambassadors of our country. Some youths in the camp were recently arrested for drug use.

He assured the refugees that the Nigerian Government has not forgotten them and is doing everything possible to evacuate them back to their respective states.  He   thanked the Republic of Cameroun, INGOs and UNHCR on behalf of the Federal Government for hosting and providing them with protection.

Speaking through an interpreter, an official of the Government of Cameroun who received the items, Mrs Menguene Marie, appreciated the Nigerian government for providing succour to its citizens and also thanked the government of Cameroun for its support to the Nigerians.

Appreciating the efforts of the Nigerian Government, Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Refugees, Mr. Asshigar Mohd from Bama local government said “We have been in Minawao camp for three years, we do have regular feeding,  have school and hospital, but we want leaders of our communities back home to visit us.” He appealed to the Nigerian Government to repatriate them  back to their places in Borno State since peace has returned in most of the communities.

The items delivered include 650 bags of rice, 300 bags of Guinea corn, 200 bags of Millet, 150 bags of Beans, 10 bags of Ground nut, 50 bags of flour, 50 bags of sugar and 50 bags of salt. Others include 100 cartons of tinned tomato, 50 cartons of Maggi Cubes, 150 cartons of spaghetti, 150 cartons of bath soap and 50 cartons of vegetable oil.


Sani Datti
Head Media and Public relations
4 th December 2016


08036106972

Monday, November 28, 2016

29,581 DISPLACED NIGERIANS RETURN FROM NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES

NATIONAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY
 
Press statement
 
About 29, 581 Nigerians who fled their communities in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa as result of insurgent activities to Republic of Niger and Cameroun have voluntarily returned last year, this is contained in a published report of humanitarian relief intervention by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) which was released recently.
 
The report says 13,046 Nigerian returnees from Niger Republic in May, 2015 and were received in Geidam, Yobe State while Between April and December, 2015 NEMA received about 16,595 Nigerians that have voluntarily returned from Cameroon through the Sahuda border crossing area near Mubi, Adamawa State.
“Some of the Nigerians that fled to Neighbouring countries (Niger, Chad and Cameroun) were provided with humanitarian relief support by the Federal Government of Nigeria through NEMA to alleviate their suffering. The displaced Nigerians have also received humanitarian supports from the host governments, the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), the host communities and Nigerian citizens living in the three host countries’’ the report says. There are presently 20,804 displaced Nigerians living the Republic of Chad, 80,709 in the Republic of Cameroun and 138,321 in the Republic in Niger.
 
It noted that the agency adopted a monthly Humanitarian Coordination Meeting; a forum consists of relevant Federal government Agencies, UN Systems and International Non-Government Organizations (INGOs) undertakes analysis of causes of humanitarian situations, conducting of need assessments, and identification of priorities and provision of humanitarian interventions based on their respective mandates. The system operates through different sectors lead by national MDAs and co-lead by UN Agencies.
 
The report added that due to the successes recorded by the Nigerian Military with the support of Multi-National Joint Military Task Force (JTF) in the fight against Boko Haram insurgents, the humanitarian dashboard is fast changing. The focus is gradually shifting towards Reconstruction, Rehabilitation, Resettlement, Recovery and dignified return of IDPs back home while process for the return of Nigerian refugees from neighboring countries is equally on-going.
 
“NEMA will continue to support and work towards bridging the identified gaps in humanitarian response through enhanced coordination, capacity building and strengthening of collaboration with the affected States and relevant stakeholders including line MDAs, local and international response organizations and the UN system”. the report says.
 
Sani Datti
Head Media and Public Relations
28/11/2016

Sunday, October 9, 2016

NEMA OPENS NEW OFFICES IN KANO, ADAMAWA AND EDO STATES

In its effort to bring disaster management closer to communities and reduce response time, the National Emergency Management Agency has opened new operation offices in Kano, Adamawa and Edo states, the Director General, Muhammad Sani Sidi disclosed at the weekend.
He said as the Federal agency saddled  with the responsibility of coordinating disaster management and related matters in the country, NEMA is making conscious efforts to build stakeholders' capacity and  devise  an appropriate mechanism to address the various facets of  disaster risk reduction, namely- prevention, mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery.  He said to achieve all this, there is the need for cooperation and collaboration of all stakeholders at the Federal, State, Local Government and Community levels.
He said requests for NEMA’s intervention, even for minor incidents, across the country, is a testimony to the level of confidence placed on the Agency by members of the public.
Sani Sidi commended the kind gestures of Kano and Adamawa State governments for donating office spaces and warehouses to facilitate the opening of the operation offices in the states.
The operation offices will be responsible for taking disaster risk reduction to grassroots, capacity building programmes for stakeholders and coordinating government agencies and non- governmental organisations involved in the disaster management in the states.
With the creation of  Adamawa, Kano and Edo Operation Offices, the agency now has a total of nine (9) operation offices and six (6) zonal offices across the country.

Sani Datti
Media and Public Relations

9th October, 2016

Sunday, August 28, 2016

NEMA COMMITTED TO THE SUPPORT OF IDPs IN BORNO

NATIONAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY

Press release

A total of 55, 950 bags of rice,  30, 214 bags of maize and others assorted food and non food items were handed over to the Borno State Government by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA)  for distribution to  various Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps in Maiduguri between February and  July this year.

Also supplied to the state government within the period were 10, 400 bags of beans, 10, 135 bags of sugar, 100 bags of millet, 1, 200 bags of  maize grits, 2,100 cartons of tomato paste, 2, 100 cartons of Maggi cubes, 1,500 bags of  salt, 180 bags of flour,  2400 jerry cans of vegetable oil and 2,400 jerry cans of palm oil. These items, were supplied by the Federal Government through NEMA in fulfilment of an existing MoU with the state government.

The last tranches delivery of relief items to the state government was on Tuesday 12/7/2016  when the North east zonal coordinator of NEMA, Mohammed Kanar, handed over 8, 000 bags of rice, 3200 bags of beans, 1000 bags of millet and 1, 200 bags of  maize to the Borno State Emergency Management Agency. The next delivery is this week, once the supplies are  completed.
 
This month (August), the agency delivered additional 3,100 bags of  rice, 3000 bags of beans, 1850 bags of Guinea corn, 650 bags of millet and 1200 bags of rice (50kg) in the few days based on request from the state government to augment the regular supplies which were presented to the SEMA Chairman, Ahmed Satomi, and Chairman Monitoring/ Distribution of Relief Items to IDPs in Borno state, Alhaji Mohammed Sani.

Similarly, NEMA has delivered relief materials directly to the IDPs in the satellite camps and IDPs camps in Maiduguri, comprising of 4, 367 bags of rice, 1, 330 bags of beans; 1, 508 bags of millet, 2, 600 jerry cans of vegetable oil, 100 jerry cans of palm oil, 46 cartons of milo beverage, 150 cartons of tomato paste and 1, 850 pieces of nylon mats from March to July.

Others were 850 pieces of mattress, 1, 140 cartons of macaroni noodles, 5, 150 pieces of blankets, 900 pieces of mosquito nets, 1, 358 bags of guinea corn, 100 bags of maize, 390 cartons of “Garin danwake”, 239 cartons of powdered milk, 1, 600 pieces of guinea brocade, 2, 115 Wax prints, 180 Cartons of toilet soap, 100 cartons of detergents, 200 pieces of plastic cups, 350 pieces of plastic plates, 1, 900 pieces of plastic buckets and 640 packets of zinc nails.

In addition to the humanitarian intervention in Borno State, the agency has also been unwavering in its commitment to the provision of supports to IDPs in Yobe, Adamawa states and other locations across the country.

The MoU stipulate amongst others that NEMA supplies raw food to IDPs while the Borno state government provides additional condiments and maintains the camp environment. There are 113, 398 IDPs living in 13 camps in Maiduguri town and its environs. The satellite camps have 306, 380 IDPs located in 16 liberated communities and towns.

A part of coordination role,  the agency has been collaborating with other organizations in carrying out medical outreaches to the IDPs in the camps as well as providing medical consumables for camp clinics and referral hospital within Maiduguri.


Sani Datti
Media and Public relations
28th August 2016
 

Tuesday, July 12, 2016

13,400 BAGS OF FOOD ITEMS FOR IDPS IN MAIDUGURI



In furtherance of it’s humanitarian intervention in the northeast, the National Emergency Management Agency has delivered 13, 400 assorted bags of foods items to Borno State Government for the feeding of Internally Displaced Persons in Maiduguri.

The items include 8000 bags (25kg) of rice, 1200 bags (50kg) of Maize Gritz, 1000 bags (25kg) of millet and 3200 bags (25kg) of Bean.


NEMA North East Zonal Coordinator Mohammed Kanar said the items were presented in line with the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed with Borno state Government on provision of food items for the feeding of internally Displaced persons residing in camps across Maiduguri for period of one month.


Items were received by the Deputy Governor of Borno state Alh Usman Durkwa on behalf of the State Government and the IDPs. He appreciated the continuous support by NEMA and assured that the items would be distributed to the beneficiaries.


Sani Datti
Public Relation Officer




Tuesday, July 5, 2016

North east Humanitarian Challenges: Matters arising

North east Humanitarian Challenges: Matters arising
 
By Labaran Saleh
 
It is a well-known fact that Nigeria is presently faced with humanitarian challenges arising from insurgency, communal clashes and natural causes like floods. These have led to the displacement of over two million people, mostly in the northeastern states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe as well as some part of the country. Global statistics indicate that the country is among the top ten, behind the others in no particular order of gravity that include Syria, Iraq and South Sudan.
 
The situation, which is largely caused by insurgency, became noticeable in 2009 and apparently continued to widen in complexity, number of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and the attendant challenges of providing necessary supports to them. At the early stage, the pattern was a simple displacement when communities were attacked and immediately left by what was commonly known at the time as "unknown gunmen." But as the attacks became more frequent and deadly leading even to occupation by the insurgents, the population were forced to flee in taking cover outside their communities in distant towns and even across the border to the Republics of Niger, Cameron and Chad.
 
Consequently, camps were spontaneously set up for the IDPs mostly in schools and other public places that lacked basic facilities for accommodation of such large number of people. Such necessities as water supply, sufficient toilets, sleeping items and medical facilities. The federal and states governments struggled in providing the requirements as well as deliver other basic supports to them including food and non-food items to them in the camps. This has been followed by supports from other private individuals, corporate agencies, non-governmental organizations, international donors and the United Nations organs in Nigeria.
 
Unfortunately, the recent misgivings towards the care for the IDPs are unfolding a dangerous phenomenon with the tendency of seriously impacting the on-going humanitarian activities; chief among these is the use of the media in the spread of unfounded rumours and misinformation about the camps and condition of the IDPs. Although, it is necessary to hold the government and other voluntary care givers accountable for their actions, this should be done with facts and constructively in appreciation of the enormity of the challenges and risks often involved in humanitarian care.
 
Few weeks ago, reports emerged about the IDPs numbering over 25, 000 in Bama camp that were said to have been abandoned, starved and seriously malnourished with about 20 daily deaths. However, not much was said about the fact that they were the people who have been under the siege of insurgents in Sambisa and neighboring communities for long before being recently freed by the military in the raging fierce battle with the terrorist their enclaves. The reality is that the terrorists are having tough times in fending for themselves not less of their captives. In her reaction to allegation, Princess Modupe Ozolua whose NGO, Empower54 was in the camp and moved the nourished persons from Bama to Maiduguri noted that only about 500 persons were actually malnourished with less than 70 acute cases out of the 1,800 persons transported with the help of the Borno State government to the special care centre in the state capital. She explained that the huge numbers of the IDPs moved to Maiduguri were made up of the family members where a case of malnourishment was found not necessarily that all of them were directly affected. The reports that many of them are receiving treatment in various hospitals have since been disproof with a recent investigative visit to medical facilities in Maiduguri. On the number of deaths, a camp manager at the special care centre confirmed the death of 20 of them since their arrival.
 
Reacting to some of the unfounded reports, the Borno state’s Governor said some care givers are taking huge advantage of the pains of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the state by defrauding foreign philanthropists under the pretense of trying to help victims of Boko haram insurgency in the state.
 
Similarly, unknown to many distant observers and discussants about the IDPs issues, those camps outside Maiduguri (satellite camps) are under the control of the military because of the on-going operations to completely rout out the terrorists in the adjoining bushes and forests but sometime those camps are consider not safe for humanitarian workers. Bama, where the incidences of malnourishment have been reported is one of these. Details of camp situation were given by Commander of the Nigerian Army Field Brigade based in the town, Colonel Adamu Garba Laka  during the recent visit of a team from the Presidency to the camp over the allegation of the starvation and malnutrition. At the camp, the delegation led by the Special Adviser to the President on Social Investment Mrs Maryam Uwais was conducted round by Colonel Laka who told them that the IDPs were recently rescued from the enclaves of the terrorists. He confirmed the availability of foods in the camp for the IDPs, which were delivered by the Federal Government through NEMA and other organizations but noted that those with the problem of malnutrition had brought in from their previous captivity. He, however, encouraged the government to fast track the provision of necessary care, including medical supports for the IDPs in the camp instead of transporting them to Maiduguri. The Borno State Commissioner for Health was present at the camp said the state government would scale up the medical supports to the IDPs as requested by the Army Commander.
 
Another very important issues of concern presently trending, is that of relief diversion as contained in a footage which has been circulating on the social media. The said video contained some allegations, that have been erroneously misconstrued to involve every agency engaged in the camp management in Borno State. Some sections of the media reports have gone way ahead to speculate existence of a syndicate that has been diverting the relief items, not knowing that there are existence Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between NEMA and the governments of Borno and Yobe states in the management of the humanitarian interventions in the states.
 
Under the understanding, for example in Borno State, NEMA delivers 24, 000 bags of rice for interval of two months to the state government who in-turn warehouse and brings same to the camps along with condiments and other cooking accessories.  The last time NEMA delivered the relief items to the state was on 28th May 2016 with evidence of waybill and acknowledgement from the SEMA. The MoU is a public document, but surprisingly a recent media publication, in attempt to smear the reputation of NEMA, averred that the North East zonal coordinator Alhaji Mohammed Kanar, a deputy director in the agency and who is responsible for its implementation was not even aware of its existence and contents.
 
 
On the issue of re-bagging rice intended for IDPs by some officials as being alleged, those familiar with Borno State would confirm that the warehouse in the widely circulated video does not belong to NEMA. In any case, the Governor, Alhaji Kashim Shettima has directed security operatives to investigate the video while the report is being awaited. No official of NEMA has ever been indicted, arrested or charged for relief diversions since the beginning of humanitarian intervention to the IDPs.
 
It is also very important to explain that NEMA is a federal agency established to strengthen and support the state governments' owned SEMAs in the management of disasters and humanitarian interventions. NEMA's role is principally concerned with coordination and mobilization of resources and strengthening of capacities for the relevant agencies including SEMAs to enable them efficiently and effectively respond to emergencies and humanitarian challenges.
 
Financing of the current humanitarian challenge is low and inadequate and no single government agency can provide all the needed supports. For instance, the Deputy Director Relief and Rehabilitation of NEMA Mr Daniel Obot, on FRCN network program "Radio Link" last weekend revealed that there was no any special funding available to the agency for the huge humanitarian management except the regular emergency fund (Disaster management). The implication is that the agency could have been technically broke. But despite this, the agency is faced with barrage of accusations and allegations. 
 
While constructive criticisms are desirable to continuously improve the humanitarian supports to the IDPs, there is need to properly understand verify issues before going to the press. Besides, humanitarian situation in  Nigeria is much better than what obtains in many places including those said to be managed by global organizations. 

Sunday, June 12, 2016

Press release: NIGERIA, UNHCR AND CAMEROUN SIGN AGREEMENT ON RETURN OF IDPS

NATIONAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY

Press release


The Federal Government has signed a tripartite agreement with the United Nations High Commission for Refuge (UNHCR) and the Republic of Cameroun for the return of Nigerian refugees who had fled for safety and are currently taking refuge in the Cameroun, voluntarily and in a dignified manner.

The Director General of the National Emergency Management Agency, Muhammad Sani Sidi, disclosed this when an African Union Humanitarian Mission led by Dr. Aisha Laraba Abdullahi, Commissioner Political Affairs, visited the Headquarters of the Agency at the weekend. He said there were about eighty thousand (80,000) displaced Nigerians currently taking refuge in Cameroun and that the federal government has been making efforts to cater for all their basic needs.

He said the Federal Government and governments of states affected by the insurgency, United Nations Organisations, International Non-Governmental Organisations and the private sector had done a lot in the past four years to manage large numbers of internally displaced persons in the North East, adding that “we have moved from the emergency response stage to recovery and resettlement of the IDPs.”

He urged the visiting Commissioner to use her good offices as Commissioner Political Affairs of the African Union to seek for more assistance and support for the affected persons and the states. He thanked all the development partners, UN agencies, Civil Societies for working tirelessly in supporting the IDPs and Government of Nigeria.

Earlier, the Commissioner said they were in Nigeria to assess the situation of IDPs and to discuss areas of possible support. She added that displaced Nigerians were of concern to the African Union, as records available to AU indicate that there were about 13 million displaced persons and 3 million refugees on the continent.

She commended the efforts of the Nigerian government and the military for degrading and minimizing the activities of the insurgents in the northeast. She said with the large number of displaced persons living in the camps, the AU will continue to give more attention to the issues of displacement through interaction and focus on addressing the root causes of conflict in Africa.


Sani Datti
Snr. Information Officer
12th June 2016