There is need to identify the consequences of disaster on migrants, residents and the roles first responders could play towards curtailing them and saving lives.
This is the reason behind a Two- Day Capacity Building for Community Emergency Response Teams, organised by the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, in collaboration with an NGO, Mzury Nigeria Limited, in Lagos.
Statistics show that the number of victims of man made and natural disasters have increased with rising conflicts across the country and beyond.
In response to the Humanitarian crisis that are resulting from the conflicts, the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management And Social Development decided to train major emergency responders across the country to scale up the needed interventions.
Declaring the training open, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management. And Social Development, Hajia Sadiya Umar Farouq, said the Two-Day capacity building became necessary to empower emergency responders to be able to handle emergency situations more effectively.
The Minister whose message to the training was delivered by the Deputy Director, incharge of Humanitarian Affairs in the Ministry, Mr. Charles Anaelo, explained that the training was also to educate the major responders in the southern part of the country, on how to minimise casualties and post disaster management in line with international best practices, especially as it borders on the migrant population.
” the capacity building is aimed at enhancing the capabilities of first responders in protection, preparedness and cordinated response to address the specific needs and mitigate the vulnerabilities of persons of concern and to handle the long term impacts of crisis on communities. It is equally targeted at creating awareness by integrating emergency-specific consideration of the migrants, potential migrants and migration related issues”.
A representative of the partnering organisation, Mzury Nigeria Limited, Mr. Nuhu El-Dudeen, who described the training as timely given the Humanitarian situation in the country, called on well meaning individuals and organisations to key into initiatives that promote the well being of the masses.
He said the organization has over time partnered with others in capacity building roles for their personnel.
“” This is exactly what we are doing with the Ministry. And we are calling on other well meaning Nigerians and organisations to collaborate with government and other companies to bring succor to vulnerable people in the society”.
A participant from the Enugu State Emergency Management Agency, Mrs. Chinasa Mba, expressed optimism that the two day training would guide them on how to save lives and property in more professional ways.
” In line with the theme of the workshop, we are to get the necessary skills and knowledge which we would in turn take back to our different states to ensure that we response professionally to situations requiring interventions especially with the massive migration of displaced northerners to the southern part of the country due to insecurity”.
The two day capacity building for community emergency response teams drew participants from Enugu, Akwa Ibom, Cross-River, Delta, Edo, Ondo,Ekiti, Oyo, Ogun and Lagos States, as well as the National Emergency Management Agency and journalists.
As the training is billed to end today, the participants are expected to leave with the capacity to understand the effects of disaster on migration and how to mitigate them.
They are also expected to have been equipped with the requisite skills to respond to migration resulting from disasters.
