In view of the need for information timeliness to mitigate the effect of disasters, the National Orientation Agency (NOA) and the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development (MHDSD) are teaming up to coordinate the gathering of disaster information in Nigeria for prompt response.
Director General of NOA, Dr. Garba Abari made this known when the Disaster Management Department of the Ministry, led by its Director, Dr. Dorothy Nwodo paid him a working visit in his office.
Dr. Abari stated that although disaster has become recurrent in recent times, timeliness of response to disaster makes all the difference; hence the importance of timely information in disaster management. This, he said, explains the appreciation of stakeholders, such as security and disaster management agencies, for the timely situation reports of NOA in matters of emergency.
The NOA Director General pledged the commitment of the Agency to galvanizing timely disaster information through its formations in the 774 Local Government Areas and the 36 States as well as developing and disseminating helpful content on disaster issues across the country.
Earlier, the Director, Disaster Management Department of the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development (MHDSD), Dr. Dorothy Nwodo said the department found NOA a strategic partner toward achieving its mandate of zero disaster in Nigeria as handed down by President Muhammadu Buhari.
She said the partnership with NOA is hinged on the fact that disaster management requires a two-way communication between disaster locations and disaster managers, adding that her department hopes to latch unto NOA structures across the nation for prompt and reliable disaster information gathering to facilitate prompt response.
It would be recalled that the President established the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development (MHDSD) on August 21, 2019, to among other things, coordinate activities and develop policy on disaster management in Nigeria.
