Lokoja
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) on Wednesday visited Kogi state to verify the capacity of the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) to provide services for personal indoor in event of escalation of COVID-19 pandemic in the country.
During the stakeholders meeting in Lokoja to accomplish the mission, the Head NEMA’s Abuja operation office, Mr Bitrus Samuel, said the agency was in the state to hold talks with relevant ministries and organisations on the issue
The meeting is also designed to find ways to ameliorate the suffering of the people in the event of escalation of the pandemic disease in the state.
He urged relevant ministries and organisations to design strategic plan on the provision of food and water supply for the state to cushion the effect of such measures on the people.
Samuel, represented by Mr Reuben Banatunde said, “following the activation of the National Emergency Operation Centre (NEOC) on COVID-19 pandemic of NEMA, we are in Kogi state to hold meeting with the relevant ministries, organizations.”
This he said became necessary with a view to coming up with strategic plan for the provision of food and water supplies.
The Executive Secretary, SEMA, Mr Julius Mejiyan who chaired the meeting, appealed to NEMA to assist the state with logistics and the supply of food and water, whenever the need arises.
He noted that as part of efforts to prevent the outbreak of the disease in the state , the state government had constituted a 29- man Squadron Committee to ensure the prevention and containment of the pandemic.
He promised that the state government would continue to sensitise and educate the people, especially those at the grassroots, on what to do during the hectic period.
The State Secretary, Red Cross Society, Mr Danasabe Usman, urged the squadron committee, set up by the state government, to synergize with SEMA for effective operation.
“On our part, we have volunteers that will be able to cover 14 local government areas in the state and we are ready to provide nose masks and hand sanitizers for the people of the state” he assured.
The stakeholders meeting was attended by NEMA, SEMA , representatives of Red Cross Society, Civil Society Organisations, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and the media.
Meanwhile, Duaglobalnews reports that measures designed by the state government, including staying at home and restriction of intra and inter movement, have commenced in the 21 local government areas of the state.
