Senate to probe NEMA over alleged ‘selective’ response to disasters

The Senate on Tuesday directed its Committees on Special Duties, Ecology and Climate Change and Environment to investigate the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) over alleged selective response to disasters in the country in 2019.

The Red Chamber also charged the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) to comply with the United Nations agreement on the transportation of dangerous goods.

The Senate directed the NEMA to immediately implement a response programme for the flood disaster that affected various communities in Demsa, Numa, Guyuk and Lamurde local government areas of Adamawa State.

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The upper legislative chamber made the resolutions after considering a motion sponsored by Senator Binos Yaroe (APC, Adamawa South).

According to Yaroe, NEMA was established by Act 50 of the 1999 constitution as amended for the purpose of managing disasters in Nigeria.

The lawmaker, who lamented a major flooding which occurred in October 2019 as a result of release of excess water by the authorities of Lagdo Dam in Cameroon, accused NEMA of being selective in its disaster response interventions.

“NEMA performed a disaster response action by distributing relief materials to communities in Furore, Yola South, Yola North and Girei local government areas of Adamawa State affected by the floods.

“This intervention by NEMA was not extended to other local government areas in Adamawa State along the River Benue valley equally affected by the flood disaster.

“Although the attention of the Director-General of NEMA was drawn to the need to provide relief materials to communities of the four local government areas in Adamawa State severely affected by the October floods, nothing has been done; and NEMA would appear to be selective in its disaster response interventions.”

On goods’ transportation, the lawmakers mandated the FRSC to ensure strict compliance with Safety and the UN 1957 agreement concerning the carriage of dangerous goods by road.

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