Director-general, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mustapha Ahmed, has presented and defended N2.545 billion as the agency’s 2024 budget proposal before the National Assembly during a joint sitting of the senate committee on special duties and House of Representatives committee on emergency and disaster preparedness.
Of the figure, Ahmed said N856,367,570 is for capital expenditure; N202,684,191 is for overhead cost and N1,486,593,233 is for personnel cost.
Ahmed, in defending the 2024 proposed budget estimates, also presented the 2023 budget performance to the joint committee and highlighted the enormity of challenges, progress made and supports required to entrench efficient disaster management in the country.
Responding, the committee members commended the NEMA director-general and the management for being prudent in resource utilisation and timely response to disaster management in the country.
They also identified the need for increased funding, provision of operational facilities and equipment as well as other basic support required to strengthen the capacity of the agency to properly manage disasters and emergency situations.
The chairman, senate committee on special duties, Senator Kaka Shehu Lawan, who presided over the joint sitting described NEMA as an important agency that should not be taken for granted. He commended the director-general for leading a diligent management of the agency.
In a similar remark, chairman of the House of Representatives on Emergency and Disaster Management, Hon Joseph Bassey stated that NEMA was in need of more funding to step up proactive disaster measures.
Members of the National Assembly that were present during the joint sitting consisted of senators and House of Representatives members of the committees that are saddled with oversight functions over NEMA.
