The Federal Government is set to empower flood-prone communities across Nigeria to take charge of their own safety and disaster management, Vice President Kashim Shettima has said.
Speaking on Monday in Abuja at an event to mark the 2025 International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction (IDDRR), Shettima stressed that community participation is key to effective disaster preparedness and response.
“No amount of preparedness will yield results if communities are not empowered to manage their own safety,” the Vice President said. “They are the foundation of whatever strategy we adopt and the heartbeat of our national resilience.”
Shettima said the Tinubu administration is strengthening state and local emergency management agencies through training, technology, and coordination support, while integrating disaster risk reduction into all sectors — including agriculture, infrastructure, education, and health.
Earlier, Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal commended stakeholders led by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) for launching a new five-year strategic plan to strengthen Nigeria’s disaster management framework. He also called for a Public-Private Partnership model to fund disaster management efforts.
Minister of State for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr. Yusuf Tanko Sununu, said Nigeria’s experience with both natural and human-induced disasters underscores the need for a comprehensive approach to risk reduction and diversified funding.
NEMA Director-General, Hajiya Zubaida Umar, described the commemoration as a defining moment for Nigeria’s resilience agenda, emphasizing the importance of innovative financing and long-term risk reduction strategies.
Lawmakers, including Senator Kaka Shehu Lawan and Hon. Joseph Bassey, pledged the National Assembly’s continued support for NEMA, with plans to amend the agency’s Act to enhance its operations.
