The Coordinator Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC), Mr Felix Obuah, has promised to strengthen the Federal Capital Territory Emergency Management Department (FEMD), to respond effectively to emergencies, disasters.
Obuah made the promise during a familiarisation visit to the department in Abuja on Thursday, being one of the departments under the purview of AMMC.
He assured FEMD of better days ahead under the renewed hope agenda of President Bola Tinubu.
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“Everybody is in high spirits because President Tinubu is here for everybody, every agency, and every department.
“I promise to take all FEMD’s concerns and challenges to the FCT Minister, Mr Nyesom Wike, who is changing the narrative of governance in Abuja.
“I will also ensure full implementation of the department’s budget, with a view to reposition it for improved service delivery and effective response to emergencies,” he said.
The coordinator explained that the visit was part of his tour of all departments and agencies under the purview of AMMC.
He added that the goal was to know the staff, their concerns and the challenges affecting the smooth operations of the agency.
This, according to him, is to ensure teamwork, towards achieving the mandate of the department in reducing disaster risks and effectively responding to emergencies.
“Part of your work is risk, and most of the workers need hazard allowance and other entitlements that are not being paid.
“I am interested in what I will do to add value and ensure that FEMD works efficiently and effectively.
“I want us to work as a family; I want us to work as a team. Bring your good ideas to bear. Let us put our ideas on the table to see how we can move forward.”
Earlier, FEMD Director, Mr Ibrahim Sabo, said that the department had a well-coordinated, reliable, and dependable structure and system in place for timely response to emergencies.
Sabo added that to ensure effective response to emergencies in communities, the department had established 600 Community Vanguards and about 1000 Disaster Management Volunteers.
He also said that the agency equally trained 300 Local Divers across the six Area Councils of the FCT, as well as Disaster Marshals made up of different stakeholders.
“We equally established Local Emergency Management Committees in the Area Councils for timely response to emergencies in communities,” he said.
He, however, said that in spite of the achievements recorded so far, the department was faced with a myriad of challenges affecting its smooth operations.
He identified some of the challenges as office space, lack of adequate number of operational vehicles and other critical equipment, including personal protective equipment.
The director also stressed the need for the establishment of Area Offices across the six Area Councils for effective and quality service delivery.
He also urged the coordinator to assist in establishing Ambulance Points around the city to enhance response time.
Similarly, Mrs Florence Wenegieme, Director, Forecasting, Response and Mitigation, said that the department had only two ambulances and stressed the need for additional ones and other critical equipment.
Also, the Director of Relief and Rehabilitation, Mr Abdulrahman Mohammed, also sought for more funding to enable the department to provide relief and rehabilitation to victims of disasters.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that FEMD was formerly an agency but reduced to a department under the purview of AMMC.
