The Ekiti State Government, has taken innovative step to fortify the disaster management strategy of Governor Biodun Oyebanji’s administration at the grassroots, as it Inaugurated the Local Emergency Management Committee (LEMC) across the 16 statutory councils of the State.
The government restated that the measure would not only cascade responsive emergency management to the third tier, but bolster effective prevention and prompt responses to emerging disaster cases, to mitigating the levels of occurrences and sufferings.
The Ekiti State Deputy Governor, Chief (Mrs) Monisade Afuye, spoke during the inauguration of the first Local Government chapter of the State Emergency Management Agency(SEMA) in the country, at the Conference Hall, Governor’s Office, in Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti State Capital,on Tuesday.
Mrs Afuye, in a statement signed by her Special Assistant on Media, Victor Ogunje, emphasized the imperative of government taking the bull by the horns to abate the rate of rainstorm, fire and flood disasters in every community in view of their adverse effects on the victims.
She stated that the LEMC will complement the giant strides being taken by its parent agency at the state level in making the state safer for all residents, saying though most of these occurrences are natural, but the negative effects could be abated, with better and well planned
responses.
The Deputy Governor hinted that the committee is to sensitise the people at the grassroots about disasters and will be first port of call for the victims before contacting the state, if the situation festers beyond control.
The Ekiti State’s Number two citizen, appealed to the Local Government Chairmen to cooperate with the committee that will be chaired by the Vice Chairmen of all the councils, through adequate funding and annual budgetary provisions to make the new innovation effective.
“When disaster happens, government always comes to give out relief materials, but prevention is better than cure. No amount of relief materials can measure up for the assets you have lost. Relief materials are to give you temporary reliefs, please, let us be careful about disasters and take precautions”.
Mrs Afuye urged the residents to take precautions by closing their cooking gas cylinder knob, off electricity sources and electrical appliances, devise flood control mechanism and guard against indiscriminate bush burning, to avert occurrences that can spark off major disasters in the state.
Saluting the EKSEMA for its partnership with the federal regulatory agency, the National Emergency Management Agency’s Southwest Zonal Director, Mr. Akande Akinode, described the inauguration as a landmark achievement, which has completed the structures of disaster management in the country.
Akinode called for amendment to the Ekiti State Emergency Management Law to make it competitive like that of Lagos, not only help to assuage the victims’ feelings, but propel the effectiveness of the personnel saddled with responsibility of disaster management.
“We now have a local government as a pillar in disaster management structures in Ekiti State.The first of its kind in Nigeria. The committed members are to help in disaster management by working with EKSEMA at the state level to sensitise the people for disaster prevention and you are to take steps when situation occurs to avert large scale destruction.
“It will be difficult to build a resilient nation, if we don’t have effective emergency mitigation strategy at the grassroots. This is where many of these disasters occurred. These are occurrences we can’t predict and they can’t but happen. So, we really commend this initiative of the state government”.
The General Manager, Ekiti State Emergency Management Agency, Mr. Oludare Asaolu, said the LEMC, was specifically conceptualised to coordinate disaster response efforts, provide aids to affected communities, facilitates communication between agency and communities and design disaster risk reduction plans.
Asaolu disclosed further that the committee will be fully supported by traditional rulers, who will provide community leadership and mobilisation, identify areas of vulnerability and risk, support evacuation and relief efforts as well as promote community preparedness and awareness.
“In the same vein, our distinguished elected officials will provide leadership and oversight, allocate resources and funding, coordinate and represent community interests. This is designed by Governor Oyebanji to reorganise EKSEMA for optimum service delivery”, he said.
The Chairman, Ekiti State Council of Traditional Rulers, Oba Samuel Adejimi Adu- Alagbado, represented by the Elemure of Emure Ekiti, Oba James Babatunde Ajibade, urged the government to provide the necessary tools that will make those that are being deployed to the field effective in disaster management.
Dignitaries at the event are: member, Ekiti State House of Assembly, Hon Iyabo Fakunle-Okeimen, Special Adviser on Information, Hon Taiwo Olatunbosun, Chairman of the board of Ekiti State Emergency Management Agency, Alhaji Ademola Bello, Permanent Secretary, Deputy Governor’s Office,Mr Abayomi Opeyemi, Chairmen and Vice Chairmen of Local Governments, traditional rulers, political leaders, paramilitary agencies, civil servants, among others.