Aregbesola Charges NEMA On Quick Delivery Of Relief Materials

By Nofisat Marindoti

Governor, State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, has charged the leadership of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to be more prompt ‎in the discharge of its constitutional responsibilities to Nigerians.

Aregbesola gave this charge playing host to the officials of the agency who were on a courtesy visit to him.

Aregbesola who described NEMA as an important agency in the management of natural disasters, implored the officials of the agency to intensify efforts that will ease proper distribution of relief materials to people who are facing displacement from their natural habitats.

He said the time has come for the agency to re-strategize in its efforts at supporting the victims of natural disasters by ensuring prompt and adequate distribution of relief materials to the distressed people.

Aregbesola said the agency must do the needful at ensuring easy access of relief materials by the victims of natural disasters, saying the agency does not need to wait until disasters occur before sending relief materials to states.

According to him, “I think the best way to render your service to the people is to try and be proactive in your service delivery to the people. In most times when natural disasters occour, it is always unexpected, so you should always be prepared.

“You should begin to distribute relief materials to all the states of the federation before disasters even happen, and you should always monitor the materials.

“You are doing a good job and it needs to be sustained and the only way for you to achieve this is for you to be more proactive and device appropriate measures that will facilitate good result.

“We don’t need to wait for disasters to happen before we move in, or else the help you render will not get to those who need it at the right time.

“Since your job is to deal with natural disasters, I don’t think it is ideal for you to wait till it happens, we should be mindful of the slow nature of our logistics in this part of the world, so if we really want to create relief for the people it should be as at when needed.

“It is also very necessary for you to incoporate other emergency service rendering agencies apart from OSEMA which is the state arm of your agency in the capacity building workshops you organise.

“The Osun Ambulance service as well as the members of the state fire service also need to benefit from the capacity building workshops which you organise because they too are involved in the emergency situations” he added.

 

E‎arlier in his speech, the Head of the team, Mr Adedeji Rasaq, said the agency has recorded huge success in its bid to ensure safety for those who are socially and economically distressed.

Rasaq said the leadership of the agency visited the state to do some assessment of the affected places, support the victims and as well organize workshop for the staff of the agency in the state.