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Tag: Mustapha Maihaja

  • NEMA hands over relief materials to flood victims in Enugu

    NEMA hands over relief materials to flood victims in Enugu

    The National Emergency Management Agency ( NEMA ) on Wednesday handed over relief materials to the Enugu State Government for flood disaster victims in eight affected local government areas of the state.

    Handing over the items in Enugu, the Director-General of NEMA, Mr Mustapha Maihaja, said the materials were presented following on-the-spot assessment carried out in the affected communities.

    Maihaja said that the materials were approved as humanitarian relief assistance by the Federal Government to the affected persons.

    Mrs Nkechi Eneh, the Executive Secretary of Enugu State Emergency Management Agency, represented by her special assistant, Mr Austin Ajuluchukwu, thanked the federal government for seeing to the welfare of the flood victims in the state.

    Eneh promised that the agency would ensure that the materials got to the victims of the disaster.

    She listed the affected councils to include Uzo-Uwani, Igboeze North and South, Igboetiti, Enugu East and North, Udi and Eziagu.

    The relief materials donated are: 1000 pieces of blanket; 180 pieces of ceiling board; 120 pieces of mattresses; 1000 pieces of mosquito nets and 200 gallons each of vegetable and palm oil.

    Other items are: 161 cartons of bathing soap; 500 bags of garri and 300 pieces of  women and children’s wears  each.

    Others are: 100 bags of sugar; 200 pieces of men’s wears; 1000 pieces of Guinea Brocade materials and 50 bags of three-inch nails.

    NAN

  • NEMA DG in Benue to inspect flood affected areas

    NEMA DG in Benue to inspect flood affected areas

    The Director General (DG), National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) Mustapha Maihaja has arrived Makurdi to inspect the flood affected areas in the state.

    Maihaja upon his arrival told newsmen that he and his team were in the state on the directives of President Mohammedu Buhari to assess the flood situation and find ways of assisting the victims.

    He disclosed that trucks of relief materials were on the way from Abuja to Makurdi and in the next three days more materials will arrive the state.

    He explained that Federal Government was concerned with the devastation the flood has caused and as responsible government decided to quickly intervene.

    Gov Samuel Ortom, while receiving Maihaja, commended President Buhari for his prompt action to bring relief to the affected people.

    Ortom said that the prompt response clearly showed the people the love the president had for them.

    He appealed to residents to continue cooperating with the government by moving away from all flood prone areas until the situation subsides.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that more than

  • NEMA complies with Buhari’s order, moves to Benue

    NEMA complies with Buhari’s order, moves to Benue

    The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has deployed a team to provide humanitarian services to victims of floods in Benue state, the Director-General of the agency, Mustapha Maihaja, announced Friday.

    The reaction is in compliance with the directive of President Muhammadu Buhari.

    Maihaja,in a statement through NEMA’s Head of Media and Public Relations, Sani Datti, said that the humanitarian team had been reinforced with another contingent headed by Air Commodore Paul Ohemu, Director, Search and Rescue.

    He said that this was in addition to the officers of the North-Central Zonal Office of NEMA in Jos.

    NEMA boss said they were to deliver immediate humanitarian assistance to the affected persons in the various locations and to assess the situation for further support.

    He said that seven 30-tonne trucks had been dispatched to the state and were due to arrive Makurdi on Friday.

    Maihaja sympathised with the affected people and assured that NEMA would work closely with the state government in providing them with the necessary assistance.

    On Thursday President Buhari directed NEMA to deploy personnel and resources to provide succour to victims of flooding in Benue.

    The flood displaced over 100,000 people in 12 local government areas of the state.

  • Flood: NEMA sends team to Benue

    Flood: NEMA sends team to Benue

    The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has deployed a team to provide humanitarian services to residents in Benue that were affected by recent flooding in the state.

    NEMA Director-General Mustapha Maihaja, made this known in a statement signed by Mr Sani Datti, Head of Media and Public Relations, in Abuja on Friday.

    Maihaja said that the immediate redeployment of the humanitarian team followed the directives of President Muhammadu Buhari to provide immediate assistance to flood victims in the state.

    He said that the humanitarian team had been reinforced with another contingent headed by Air Commodore Paul Ohemu, Director, Search and Rescue.

    He said that this was in addition to the officers of the North-Central Zonal Office of NEMA in Jos.

    NEMA boss said they were to deliver immediate humanitarian assistance to the affected persons in the various locations and to assess the situation for further support.

    He said that seven 30-tonne trucks had been despatched to the state and were due to arrive Makurdi on Friday.

    Maihaja sympathised with the affected people and assured that NEMA would work closely with the state government in providing them with the necessary assistance.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that on Thursday President Buhari directed NEMA to deploy personnel and resources to provide succour to victims of flooding in Benue.

    The flood allegedly displaced over 100,000 people in 12 local government areas of the state.

  • FG evacuates 170 Nigerian refugees from Cameroon

    FG evacuates 170 Nigerian refugees from Cameroon

    The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has evacuated another batch of 170 Nigerian repatriated refugees mostly Women and Children from Cameroon.

    The Director-General of the Agency, Alhaji Mustapha Maihaja, disclosed this at Mubi International Transit Camp, Adamawa, on Sunday.

    Maihaja, who was represented by Idris Garga, NEMA Coordinator in charge of Adamawa and Taraba, said that the evacuation exercise was the second in three months.

    “Today, we are evacuating another batch of 170 Nigerian repatriated Refugees from Cameroon Republic ,the first evacuation was conducted in May 2017 and involved about 300 Nigerians.

    “The refugees were intercepted along Nigeria-Cameroon boarder by teams of Nigeria security operatives and after thorough investigation and screening they were confirmed to be Nigerians.

    “The refugees are indigenes of Gomboru- Ngala in Borno who escaped Boko Haram attacks and ran to Cameroon for safety in 2013,” he said.

    Terry Igue, the Yola office Head of Search and Rescue of the agency, said the refugees had undergone several medical check-ups at Mubi camp and had been “well taken care before their evacuation to their local government and state of origin to meet their relatives”.

  • Osinbajo to flag off distribution of relief materials in North East

    Osinbajo to flag off distribution of relief materials in North East

    There is tight security in and around Maiduguri metropolis as the Acting President Prof. Yemi Osinbajo is expected to arrive Maiduguri today to flag off a Special Relief Intervention to states of the Northeast affected by the Boko Haram crisis.

    All major roads in Maiduguri from the Airport, through Borno Express down to the Post Office and to the Government House have been blocked making clearance for the Acting President and his entourage for easy movement. The road to the venue of the event which is Bakasi IDP Camp is also under heavy security.

    The tight security in the town is not far from last night Boko Haram attack in Maiduguri which has left many people in panic with some leaving their houses in confusion.

    Apparently, the blockage of roads in the town has caused heavy traffic challenge to residents and motorists in the metropolis as many are been stuck into traffic jam at different locations in the town.

    While in Maiduguri, the Acting President is expected to distribute over 30, 000 metric tons of cereal.

    In a statement from the Head, Media and Public Relation, NEMA, Sani Datti said the distribution would be done directly to the affected people and communities by NEMA.

    The statement reads: “The Federal Government will distribute 30,000 metric tonnes (1,032 trucks) of cereal directly to affected persons in the Northeastern states of Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Taraba, Bauchi and Gombe. The exercise is expected to be flagged off by the Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osibanjo on Thursday 8th June, 2017 in Maiduguri, Borno State.

    “This special relief intervention has the objective of highlighting the strategies that would be adopted for distribution of relief materials approved by the federal government for displaced persons in the North East in accordance with the humanitarian principles.

    “It will also serves as litmus test for full cycle of intervention adapting world best practices while considering our own local peculiarities, exhibiting the best of transparency, accountability and in full consideration of the protection and integrity of the affected persons.

    “Each household beneficiary would be issued with a voucher, which is redeemed at the receipt of the household allocation of the food basket. It also involves taking the materials to the doorsteps of the affected persons.

    “The distribution, which is based on Dry ration calculations of 6 persons per household and food ration per individual for 30days at 280grams x30/1000k = 8.4 kg times individual requirement per household, is 50.4 kg.

    “Relief intervention will be also airlifted for areas that have inaccessible roads or security threat by the Nigeria Air force,”.

    The statement disclosed that the DG NEMA Engr. Mustapha Maihaja has assured of transparency in the distribution of the relief materials to the beneficiaries.

    “The Director General of the National Emergency Management Agency, Engr. Mustapha Maihaja said adequate measures have been put in place to ensure that the distribution was done in transparent manners for optimal accomplishment of task and operational objectives,” the statement said.

  • Climate change: UNESCO, NEMA to develop culturally acceptable early warning tools

    Climate change: UNESCO, NEMA to develop culturally acceptable early warning tools

    UNESCO is collaborating with the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to develop culturally acceptable early warning tools that will improve indigenous adaptation and resilience to disaster risks posed climate change.

    This project is being fashioned against the background of the importance of combining indigenous and scientific knowledge in building resilience to climate change.

    Mr Ydo Yao, Director and Representative UNESCO Regional Office, and NEMA Director-General, Mr Mustapha Maihaja, made this known in a joint statement issued in Abuja.

    They noted that the interface between indigenous and scientific knowledge had become imperative due to the intensity of climate change impact.

    “With the intensity and changing pattern of climate change impact, the capacity of indigenous knowledge Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) measures has weakened; hence the need to interface modern science without substituting each other.’’

    The underscored the need to respect the two sets of knowledge and build on their respective strengths.

    In view of this, UNESCO and NEMA have organised a meeting of experts with the theme “Interfacing Modern and Indigenous Early Warning Systems to Build the Resilience of Vulnerable Communities to the Vagaries of Climate Change’’.

    The two-day meeting scheduled to hold in Abuja on Tuesday and Wednesday, will focus of the Lake Chad region.

    The objectives of the meeting are to raise awareness on climate change vulnerabilities and identify indigenous early warning systems that could be interfaced with modern systems, Yao and Maihaja said.

    The meeting is also expected to review studies, plans and strategies of combining both systems and recommending additional project that could be implemented in Nigeria.

    Furthermore, the experts are expected to propose a template for developing indigenous and scientific culturally acceptable early warning education and advocacy tools for DRR management in the Lake Chad communities.

    UNESCO and NEMA observed that natural disaster management in Africa is “deeply rooted’’ in local communities with the use of indigenous knowledge to master and monitor climate and other natural systems in order to boost resilience.

  • NEMA DG wants more collaboration on humanitarian crisis in N. East

    NEMA DG wants more collaboration on humanitarian crisis in N. East

    Alhaji Mustapha Maihaja, Director-General, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), has called for more collaboration among stakeholders toward addressing humanitarian crisis in the North-East.

    Maihaja made the call during an interactive meeting with humanitarian stakeholders on Sunday in Maiduguri.

    “NEMA has the primary responsibility of responding to emergencies and coordinating humanitarian crisis in the country.

    “The North-East, especially Borno, is worst affected by the devastating Boko Haram insurgency; we need massive collaboration among stakeholders to tackle the resultant humanitarian crisis here,” he said.

    He promised that NEMA would continue to provide the support necessary to improve the living conditions of displaced persons, noting however, that more would be achieved if all stakeholders worked together.

    The NEMA boss said that the interactive session had helped the agency to get a feedback on its performances, especially the shortcomings.

    “We intend to meet with experts and examine our performances; we will also contact international organisations and appeal for increased support.

    “We shall also discuss the current realities with the Federal Government and crave for more support,” he said.

    Mr Peter Lundberg, UN Deputy Humanitarian Coordinator to Nigeria, had earlier told the NEMA boss that there were 75 partners working in the North-East, among them UN agencies, NGOs, and other stakeholders.

  • 1,268 Nigerians voluntarily returned from Libya in five months — NEMA

    1,268 Nigerians voluntarily returned from Libya in five months — NEMA

    The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) said 1,268 Nigerians had voluntarily returned from Libya from December 15, 2016 to May 16, 2017.

    Alhaji Mustapha Maihaja, the Director General, NEMA, made the disclosure while receiving a fresh batch of 258 Nigerians who arrived on Tuesday in Lagos.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the returnees arrived the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, aboard a chartered Libya Airlines Airbus A330-200 with registration number 5A-LAU at about 8:30pm.

    They were received at the Hajj Camp area of the airport by officers of the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), the National Agency for the Protection of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) and the Police.

    Also on ground to receive them were officials of NEMA, the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).

    Maihaja, who was represented by Dr Onimode Bandele, the Deputy Director, Search and Rescue, said the fresh returnees came along with 20 children and infants.

    He said the returnees were brought back by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and the Nigerian Embassy in Libya.

    According to him, another batch of Nigerians is expected back on May 25, and the exercise will continue as long as those stranded in Libya are willing to return home.

    “Since December 2016, we have been able to bring back 1,268 Nigerians and the exercise will continue in collaboration with the IOM.

    “The Federal Government is collaborating with the various state governments to rehabilitate and reintegrate the returnees,” he said.

    Also speaking, Ms Julia Burpee, Public Information Officer, IOM, said the organisation had facilitated the return of over 7,000 Nigerians from various countries in the past 16 years.

    She said the organisation would assist the returnees to get back on their feet and would provide assistance to others willing to leave the North African country.

     

  • NEMA seeks urgent solution to end scourge of Meningitis

    NEMA seeks urgent solution to end scourge of Meningitis

    The Director General, National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, Mustapha Maihaja assures that within the next few days, NEMA will partner with the ministry of Health to put an end to the scourge of meningitis in the country.

    The DG disclosed this during his resumption of office as the new Director General NEMA in Abuja, stating that the agency will be in a state of preparedness for disaster management at all times.

    He said, “I am taking over at a time the country is faced with major emergency involving internally displaced persons in various parts. Meningitis ravaging various states and other challenges requiring response from NEMA and concerted efforts with various agencies.

    “As someone from the Northeast who has been directly affected by the deplorable conditions of IDPs in the region, i am familiar with the crisis and the need for urgent and lasting solutions towards rehabilitation of the effected fellows.”

    Maihaja reaffirms that under his leadership, the agency shall be positioned for not only disaster management but equally disaster prevention leveraging globally accepted frameworks.