FG To Strengthen States, LGAs On Disaster Preparedness — Shettima

As part of measures to address the growing threat of flood-related disasters across Nigeria, the Federal Government is considering empowering flood-prone communities to manage their safety.

The Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, who disclosed this, said no amount of preparedness would produce tangible results if communities were not empowered to take charge of their safety.

Speaking on Monday in Abuja during the 2025 International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction (IDDRR),  Shettima, in a statement by his media aide, Stanley Nkwocha, noted that while resilience could not be guaranteed by the government alone, it is reflected in how cities are planned, how businesses protect their workers, and how communities share information and look out for each other.

Accordingly, he demanded a strong partnership with the private sector, saying the industry “must see itself as a partner in prevention, embedding risk reduction into corporate planning and investment decisions.”

Stressing the need to empower communities to manage their safety, he said, “Our academia and research institutions also bear the responsibility of helping us generate the data, innovation, and practical research we need to prepare for a safer future.

“We count on them to shape the knowledge that guides our decisions. And we expect our civil society to hold us accountable, to raise awareness, and to mobilise citizens around the shared responsibility of preparedness.

“But none of these efforts will yield results unless we empower and support our communities to take ownership of their safety. They are the foundation of whatever strategy we adopt and the heartbeat of our national resilience.”

The Vice President applauded the theme of the 2025 International Day for IDDRR, “Fund Resilience, Not Disasters,” saying it speaks to an often overlooked truth that “it is far wiser, far cheaper, and far more humane to prepare for disasters before they strike than to rebuild after they destroy.

“Every naira we spend today on preparedness saves many more tomorrow on response and recovery.

Every investment in resilience is, in truth, an investment in the lives and futures of our people,” he added.

VP Shettima, however, pointed out that commitment alone is not enough. “We must match our words with action and our policies with funding,” he stated.

To fund resilience, the VP identified certain priority areas to invest in, including “drainage systems, not relief camps; to build stronger schools and hospitals, not temporary shelters; to support farmers with climate-smart tools, not just food aid after floods; and to train and equip our first responders before the sirens start to wail.”

According to him, this is the shift required to move “from reacting to crises to anticipating and preventing them.”

Senator Shettima explained that following President Tinubu’s emphasis on the ‘need to treat resilience as a national policy,” the government is “integrating disaster risk reduction into every sector—from agriculture and infrastructure to education and health—while expanding early warning systems to ensure that communities receive timely alerts before floods, droughts, or disease outbreaks occur.

“We are strengthening state and local emergency management agencies through training, technology, and coordination support. We are developing a National Disaster Risk Financing Framework to guarantee that funding for prevention and preparedness is available when and where needed.

“We are deepening partnerships with development partners, the private sector, and research institutions to drive innovation and resilience building at all levels.”

Earlier, the Governor of Zamfara State, Alhaji Dauda Lawal, commended the commitment of stakeholders led by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to strengthen Nigeria’s disaster management framework by launching the 5-year strategic plan.

Giving an overview of the Zamfara State emergency management framework, the governor called on stakeholders to deepen collaboration in building a safer and more resilient country. He proposed adopting a Public-Private Partnership model for funding disaster management in Nigeria.

The Minister of State for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Hon. Yusuf Tanko Sununu, said Nigeria, like other countries, has suffered from natural and human disasters, necessitating the current stakeholders’ meeting to develop a comprehensive approach to addressing these disasters.

He emphasised the need to diversify the nation’s funding sources and review Nigeria’s strategic framework to reach underserved communities better.

For her part, the Director General of NEMA, Hajiya Zubaida Umar, said the 2025 International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction commemorates Nigeria’s national commitment to building resilience, demanding a more proactive and better-financed disaster resilience framework.

She added that conversations at the event will help galvanise support for innovative financing, which can sustain large-scale risk reduction efforts and form the core of NEMA’s plans to strengthen Nigeria’s resilience architecture.

In his remarks, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Special Duties, Sen. Kaka Shehu Lawan, commended the DG of NEMA for organising the timely stakeholders’ event and assured that the National Assembly will continue to work with NEMA by creating an enabling environment for its efficient operations.

Similarly, the House of Representatives Committee on Disaster Management Chairman, Hon. Joseph Bassey, pledged the National Assembly’s support for NEMA, particularly the efforts to amend the NEMA Act to make the agency more effective.

In a keynote address, the Country Director of Plan International Nigeria, Dr Charles Usie, underscored the significance of adopting and deploying a global framework for disaster risk reduction in Nigeria.

He recommended increased transparency, improved data collection and management, coordination, and attention to early warning systems, among other things, to transform NEMA’s mandate and focus into a modern disaster management agency.