The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has reaffirmed its commitment to partner with the Nasarawa State University, Keffi, on disaster management in the country.
Mr Mustapha Ahmed, the Director-General, NEMA, gave the assurance when the Vice-chancellor of the institution, Prof. Suleiman Mohammed, led a delegation to visit the agency in Abuja on Thursday.
Ahmed said that the agency had recognised the need to partner with the academia to take disaster risk management to the public, as such, it had existing collaboration with various academic institutions.
He said that the use of the ‘ivory towers’ to build a well informed and better resilient Nigerian citizens could not be over-emphasised.
“I want to assure you that as disaster managers and humanitarian actors, we are not going to relent in our efforts to build that critical mass of Nigerians that are well informed.
“And better prepared to face up the ever growing disaster challenges not only here in Nigeria but across the world.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has no doubt taught us the hard and bitter lesson that every nation is vulnerable, no one is safe until everyone is safe.
“I assure you that this visit will herald the beginning of a sustainable partnership between NEMA and Nasarawa State University,” he said.
The vice-chancellor, represented by Prof. Haruna Ayuba, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academics, said the aim of the visit was to commend the director-general for his commitment to further strengthen their existing partnership.
Mohammed appreciated the agency and the Nigerian Hydrological Services Agency for donating an Automatic Weather Observation Station to the institution earlier in the year.
He, however, requested for an assistance in the establishment of a Centre for Disaster Risk Management Studies and an ambulance vehicle in the institution.
He added that these would further build capacities of stakeholders in disasters management and enhance service delivery in the health sector of the institution.(NAN)
