Kaduna trains Field Officers on Hazard Profiling

Executive Secretary SEMA, Abubakar Hassan addressing participants

By EDDY OCHIGBO

Sequel to the growing concern and vulnerability of people in communities across the length and breadth of Kaduna state, the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), during the week, trained no fewer than 30 Field Officers on Hazard profiling and mapping to mitigate possible disasters in the state, particularly in the hinterland.

The two-day capacity building exercise - which among other things, dwelled on vulnerability, hazard and disaster - touched on functional and early warning system concept of Disaster Risk Reduction, Emergency Response, hazard profiling and mapping.

In an interview with Correspondents at the event, SEMA's Executive Secretary, Alhaji Abubakar Hassan revealed that Kaduna state in its renewed plan to tackle possible disasters is currently working round the clock to arrest emergencies ranging from fire, flooding and the like.

"SEMA is now at different levels of reviewing the contingency plan of the state, so that at end of the day, we would be able to create a document that would allow us understand the different hazards throughout the state and then build the contingency plans around all the early warning signals that this project would address. The Field Officers undergoing the training were meticulously chosen from the 23 Local Government Councils to liaise with the Local Government Emergency Management Committee - the Vice Chairmen of the Local Government Councils. The field officers would after the training be deployed to all 23 Local Government Councils to meet with the vice chairmen to discuss and understand the terms of reference and objectives of the whole exercise", Hassan revealed.

The Executive Secretary stressed the need for the field officers to work hand in hand with the vice chairmen towards the success of the exercise. "It is important and critical that we get the field officers in to understand and also to relay to the Vice Chairmen that they would be supported by the field officers, who would be on ground in all the local council areas to interact with vice chairmen and the community to ensure that the programme is a resounding success because all logistics including transportation, feeding for the field officers would be provided by the state government", Hassan disclosed, assuring that adequate preparations have being made to prevent disasters in the state.

The Executive Secretary blamed the frequent fire disasters in the state on what he calls "attitudinal behaviour of people who are totally ignorant about hazards and early warning signals", pointing out that such gaps made the steps being taken to mitigate disasters absolutely necessary to prepare for the rainy day.

"We must get the people sensitized and informed about early warning signals. What we are doing is a bottom-top approach. We want to get to the communities and interact with them directly, let them get to understand what they need to do in case they are confronted by emergency situations. Even before the flood prediction of NIMET, we had been able to assess some of the communities prone to flood and came up with plans on how to bring such emergencies under control. The ultimate goal is to take SEMA to the door steps of the people and we are almost getting there, Hassan enthused.

An Eyesore at one of the disaster-prone sites in the suburbs

On his part, Mr Abbas Danjuma, a participant and member of Coalitions of Associations, Leadership, Peace, Empowerment and Development (CALPED), a Kaduna based civil society organization, told CUBINKS NEWS that,"the existing Contingency Plan of the state which is long overdue for a review did not identify some hazards which have become frequent in recent time, a setback affecting planning for resilience, mitigation and response. The new contingency plan is promising to both the people and the government at local, state and federal levels for proper strategy on disaster management and risk reduction in the state".

The recently concluded training on hazard profiling by SEMA which is being supported by United States International Agency for Development's (USAID) Nigeria Early Recovery Initiative (NERI), deployed trainees on the second day of the training, to three communities in the suburb of Kaduna metropolis, namely: Rafin Giza, Romi and Ungwan Matari to test run their newly acquired stills and tools in preparation for their primary assignment at the grassroots.

Comments

NEWS FEATURE: Governor el-Rufai and the Sanctity of the Ballot

el-Rufai: Voting at his polling unit BY NASIRU JAGABA F irst of all, let me start by congratulating the Citizens of Kaduna State, for violence free election in the local government polls. The peaceful conduct of the citizens in Kaduna despite the happenings that had shown clearly the desperation of persons in the corridor of power to manipulate, overturn the result refused to give in to the chaos but rather responded with all sense of maturity and confidence in the sanctity of the ballot. Had Kaduna responded in similar desperation as shown by the institutional riggers, perhaps curfew would have been slammed in several areas which would have created the perfect cover for the malpractices to happen. The hate speeches and incitement from the top government officials in Kaduna state government did not end on the platforms for the campaigns alone but went further to reflect in the exercise that held. There are several accounts going round about thugs accompanying some of

'Terrorists are all over, not only Southern Kaduna'

-Governor Nasir el-Rufai el-Rufai addressing Journalists in Hausa after a security meeting on Southern Kaduna By DANGWA DANJUMA G overnor Ahmed Nasir el-Rufai has admitted that terrorists are everywhere in Kaduna state, not only in the troubled Southern Kaduna, disclosing that miscreants have taken to the social media space to promote what he called disturbing and further aggravating the worsening situation situation with religious and ethnic colouration. Speaking to newsmen in Hausa, after a meeting with security officials, el-Rufai said that miscreants from Abuja, Lagos, Port Harcourt and outside Nigeria are trying to insinuate that the Southern Kaduna killings is ethnic and religious even going as far as asking people to take the law into their hands. While maintaining that these people would be brought to book, he tasked traditional leaders, religious leaders and political office holders in the state to speak the truth about the happenings as failing to do so wo

Kaduna IDPs cry out over Deplorable Conditions

By DANGWA DANJUMA L ack of basic education, sanitation, healthcare facilities and access to portable water supply have hit Gwagwada, a host community camping over 300 households displaced from fifteen villages in Chikun Local Council of the state. Speaking at the flag off of relief materials distribution for the internally displaced persons (IDPs), the Village Head of Gadani, Mr Bitrus Tsauri disclosed: “Since they arrived, the wells which have been the sure source of water for several households in the community have dried up; the solar powered borehole is only providing drips of water necessitating most residents to seek drinking water from streams. Our two public primary schools and healthcare facility are currently inadequate and may be unsafe, especially with the coronavirus pandemic that Kaduna state is still counting cases”. He confirmed that those who can farm, have been provided land to start over again; there is still the worry however, for those who are unable to farm due t

Jagaba on Gov el-Rufai's 2020 Budget

Fallout of lopsided implementation of state budget in the education sector By Nasiru Jagaba j agabanasiru@gmail.com L et me start by commending the Governor of Kaduna state for being consistent in maintaining the January to December budget year. This provides some high level of fiscal and economic sustainability in the State. My commendation may come as a surprise to many who know that I have been a consistent critic of his government as the national youth Leader (out-going now) of Southern Kaduna Peoples Union (SOKAPU). My stand has not changed as I remain a dogged fighter of injustice regardless of its form of manifestation. However, in analyzing governance, one must uphold a higher level of objectivity by appreciating progress (no matter how small) while fighting for fairness, equity and justice. That aside, I have committed myself to tracking governance in Kaduna state and Nigeria to ensure that the right of citizens to deve

Kaduna's 'Comprehensive Urban Renewal Programme'

A comprehensive roads-repairs-and-rehabilitation programme has reached an advanced stage to address the worrisome condition of urban and sub-urban roads in Kaduna state, as part of a renewed and systematic approach of the Kaduna State Roads Agency (KADRA) to deliver dividends of democracy. KADRA’s Managing Director, Engr Lawal Mohammed Magaji who made this known in his office, in a chat with correspondents and leading members of the civil society who paid him a courtesy visit to be abreast of operations and the workings of KADRA revealed that the agency has bought into Commitment 2 of the Open Government Partnership (OGP), of the Governor el-Rufai-led administration, which has to do with openness and transparency. “ I am very delighted by your visit. I used to have a wrong impression of some civil society organizations. Initially I thought civil societies were there to confront government and fine fault where there is none. I now think differently, especially given the great

Cubinks NEWS

Search This Blog