The executive secretary of Kaduna State Emergency Agency (KADSEMA), Malam Muhammed Mu’azu Mukaddas, has identified disasters as major obstacles to the attainment of socio-economic development.
Speaking at a capacity development and emergency preparedness and response training for Local Emergency Management Committees (LEMCs) from the 23 local government areas of Kaduna State organised by the agency in collaboration with the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, he said the impact of disasters on society had greatly increased and were becoming major obstacles to attaining sustainable socio economic development.
He, added that prevention, preparedness, response and supporting communities to recover from emergencies and disasters are the mandates of KADSEMA, but noted that these phases of emergency management cannot be achieved efficiently and effectively unless with regular updates of consciousness and capacity.
The executive secretary said the training was basically to acquaint participants with varied approaches to dealing with emerging disasters, especially during the rainy season, particularly for areas that are vulnerable to flooding and other associated challenges.
“In the last months, we witnessed steady increase in the number and magnitude of disasters from the Kaduna AK9 train attack to the terrorists’ activities in Birnin Gwari, Giwa, Chikun, Kajuru, Kachia and flooding in Kubua local government areas which caused tremendous economic damages, losses and deaths,” he said.
He urged the LEMCs to keep abreast with the hazards that live with humanity and how vulnerable people are to the hazards and build resilience and capacity to cope with them.
Deputy chief of staff to the deputy governor, Barrister James Atung Kanyip, said SEMA had done well through the initiative of the training which he said would go a long way to help fight emergency situations in the state, adding that apart from building the capacity of the LEMCs, they will also go back equipped and impact on their various communities.
