NEMA, SEDC EXPLORE STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP ON DISASTER MANAGEMENT IN SOUTH EAST
The Director General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mrs. Zubaida Umar, has commended the Managing Director of the South East Development Commission (SEDC), Mr. Mark Okoye for initiating laudable development plans for the South East region and assured NEMA’s full commitment to collaborate with the Commission to advance initiatives that will strengthen disaster management efforts across the zone.
Mrs. Zubaida Umar gave the assurance on Thursday, 17th July 2025, when she received Mr. Okoye on a courtesy visit to the NEMA Headquarters in Abuja.
Describing the plans outlined by the newly inaugurated SEDC leadership as bold and timely, the Director General NEMA noted that some of them have strong potentials for addressing key disaster-related challenges in the region, particularly erosion and flooding.
She emphasized NEMA’s strategic focus on Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR), aligned with global best practices and expressed optimism that the proposed SEDC initiatives would reinforce local structures for disaster preparedness and resilience.
Highlighting some of NEMA’s recent interventions in the South East, including the recent full-scale flood simulation exercise in Ogbaru, Anambra State, Mrs. Zubaida Umar urged the SEDC to also support State Emergency Management Agencies (SEMAs) within the region to enhance their capacity for effective disaster preparedness and response.
She identified some key areas for immediate collaboration between NEMA and SEDC, including the establishment of Emergency Response Ambulance Bays (ERAB) in strategic locations, community sensitization on disaster risks, especially on flooding, and joint capacity-building programmes.
In his remarks, the Managing Director of SEDC, Mr. Mark Okoye, said the visit was aimed at exploring strategic collaboration with NEMA in line with the Commission’s mandates to drive sustainable development in the South East.
He commended NEMA for its national impacts in the area of disaster management and expressed the SEDC’s interest in leveraging the Agency’s experience and expertise to enhance its intervention and development planning processes.
Mr. Okoye affirmed that under his leadership, the SEDC will prioritize integrated development focused on environmental sustainability, human capital development, and long-term economic growth, beyond short-term interventions.
The meeting underscored a shared commitment to deepening collaboration between both agencies for a more resilient and disaster-prepared Nigeria and South East region in particular.
Signed:
Manzo Ezekiel
Head, NEMA Press Unit
17th July 2025
