The Nation Newspaper

Tag: NEMA

  • 99 persons die in boat mishaps in Lagos, two others

    99 persons die in boat mishaps in Lagos, two others

    No fewer than 99 persons died in six  boat mishaps that occurred in Kebbi, Niger and Lagos States between April and September, according to a survey by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

    The survey was conducted in Kebbi, Niger and Lagos States.

    Two boat mishaps each were recorded on River Niger, Niger and Lagos State, within the period.

    The survey also revealed that 47 people were rescued, while some unspecified number of persons got missing.

    The worst of the mishaps was recorded in Kebbi on Sept. 14 when 53 persons , who were mostly traders ,lost their lives on River Niger.

    It was gathered that the traders were among 100 persons going to Poll market  in Bagudo Local Government Area when the incident occurred.

    However, 47 of the victims were lucky as they were rescued alive by divers.

    The Chairman of the Bagudo Local Government, Alhaji Muhammad Zagga, who confirmed the incident said that about 500 divers were deployed to rescue the victims.

    Also in Kebbi, seven persons had on April 15 died when the overloaded boat in which they were traveling on River Niger hit a tree trunk , forcing it to capsize.

    The passengers believed to be about 150 were  returning from Malali market in Ngaski Local Government Area of the state.

    In Niger, 30 persons died in two boat mishaps recorded in the state within the period.

    The mishaps occurred on River Niger which passes through Borgu Local Government Area and River Kaduna which passes through Shiroro Local Government Area.

    Alhaji Ibrahim Inga, the Director-General, Niger State Emergency Management Agency ( NSEMA) confirmed this to NAN.

    In Lagos State, 9 persons died in two boat mishaps recorded on the lagoon between April and September.

    The Lagos Area Manager of the National Inland Waterways Authority ( NIWA ), Mr Mua’zu Sambo, who confirmed this to NAN, said that one person got missing in one of the incidents.

    Sambo described the figures so far, as an improvement when compared with 2016 when 26 deaths were recorded in five boat mishaps.

    He also said the only way accidents could be reduced on Waterways was for users to comply strictly with safety guidelines from the organisation.

    The Public Affairs Manager,  Mr Tayo Fadile, said users should stop sailing on the Waterways at night, saying that the law only permitted sailing between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m.

    Fadile advised operators not to take in passengers beyond the capacity of the boat.

    According to him, a boat used for more than five years should be overhauled, while operators should refrain from taking drug or alcohol during boat ride.

    He also emphasised the need for passengers to always put on life jacket before entering boat, while urging operators to properly register their boats with NIWA.

    Fadile said NIWA would continue to engage users of Waterways during safety awareness campaigns.

    He called for the support of the states, local governments,  law enforcement and security agencies in ensuring that boat operators adhered strictly to safety guidelines as stipulated by NIWA regulations.

    Speaking in the same vein, Sambo, the NIWA  Lagos Area Manager, blamed boat mishaps on speeding, overloading, wrecks, night journey and disregard for safety rules by operators.

    He expressed the need for a greater collaboration among stakeholders in the sector, saying that current use of life jackets, adherence to safety rules and proper regulation of activities would help.

    On its part, the Lagos State Government said it would continue to clamp down on illegal jetties and unregistered boats to stem the tide of mishaps on waterways in the state.

    The Managing Director of the Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA), Mr Oluwadamilola Emmanuel, who stated this, said that strict enforcement  of relevant laws would be enforced across the state.

    “Government would stop at nothing to ensure that operators adhere to the safety standards.

    “Being a developing sector, one of the things LASWA has to do is to be very strict on enforcement. Enforcement is  going to be an ongoing thing because you would constantly have those who are going to default,” he said.

    According to him, the state government has been working round-the-clock to improve the sector for optimal performance and will not relent.

    “The core objective of LASWA is to ensure that safety, being a key feature of water transportation is not compromised,” Emmanuel said.

    Also speaking on the development, Mr Tarzan Balogun, National President, Association of Tourist Boat Operators Water Transporters of Nigeria (ATBOWATON), observed that mishaps on Waterways had reduced drastically in the country.

    He attributed the development to the concerted efforts of the regulators and operators whom he said, had been insisting on proper use of life jackets by passengers.

    The  Coordinator of  the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) in charge of Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara States, Alhaji Sulaiman Muhammad, said that the rescue of boat mishap victims in the zone had always been through combine efforts of stakeholders.

    He identified the stakeholders to include fishermen, local divers, NIWA and  state governments.

    Read also: Boat operators without life jackets risk ban

    Muhammadu Audu, a local diver in Birnin Kebbi, called for enforcement of life jacket on boat passengers to make rescue easy.

    “Most of the passengers do not know how to swim, and when an accident happens, even if you know how to swim you get exhausted before getting out of the river.

    Inga, the  Director-General of the NSEMA , told NAN that marine police, local divers and other  volunteers had been assisting in the rescue of boat mishap victims in Niger.

    He blamed the high casualty recorded within the period on private boat operators whom he said had not been encouraging passengers to put on life jackets.

    “Government has concluded arrangements to purchase life jackets that will be sold to people in the riverine areas at subsidised rates as part of measures to avert such mishaps.

    “No operator will be allowed to carry passengers without protective jackets,” he said.

    Inga said that majority of the boats and canoes operating in the state were owned by individuals, while the State Government had only two boats.

    He said that efforts would be intensified to regulate and monitor activities of operators to reduce avoidable accidents on waterways in the state.

    A boat passenger, Mrs Joy Chimezie, told NAN that mishaps would not stop her and others from traveling by boat.

    Chiemeze, a civil servant resident in Lagos, said that traveling by boat was stress-free and cheap, thereby making it attractive to passengers.

    “I pray never to be a victim of any accident but l urge fellow passengers to use their life jackets properly by fastening them well in case of any eventuality,” She said.

    Another passenger,  Mr Cletus Abhareyi , said that the hectic traffic situation in Lagos would continue to make traveling by water inevitable for him and others.

    NAN

  • Senate tasks FG on policy to check insecurity

    Senate tasks FG on policy to check insecurity

    The Senate has called on the Federal Government to come up with a policy on the protection of its citizens, especially those in rural areas.

    The upper chamber also called on the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to immediately send relief materials to villages in Shinkafi Local Government Area of Zamfara where lives were lost in recent attacks.

    The calls were sequel to a motion on “Urgent Need to look into the Killings and Attacks that took place in Shinkafi LGA of Zamfara” sponsored by Sen. Tijjani Kaura (APC-Zamfara) at plenary on Wednesday.

    He said the attack on Friday left 23 people dead in Mallamawa and Tungar Kahau villages, while property were torched and plundered.

    “Similarly, four villages, namely, Maikamarimi, Gidan Anna, Mallamawa and Tungar Kahau were burnt to ashes including all their farm produce worth about N385, 000, 000.’’

    Kaura said that the State Government had over the years put in place a lot of measures to bring an end to the menace but that the attacks had resurfaced.

    “The military operation `Harbin Kunama’ that was launched by President Muhammadu Buhari to flush out the bandits is still in place and such attacks are happening unabated.

    “These security breaches are on the increase in spite of the huge resources being expended by the Federal and Zamfara State Governments,” he said.

    The lawmaker called for collaborative effort between Federal and State Governments to come up with a definite policy on protecting its citizens, especially those living in rural areas.

    Contributing, the Deputy President of the Senate, Mr Ike Ekweremadu, called for the establishment of state police to curb insecurity in the country.

    “Indigenes of the state employed as state police will know the terrain where bandits are hiding,” he said.

    But, Sen. Dino Melye (APC-Kogi) said establishment of state police would be counter-productive since they would show much loyalty to the governors who would use them against political opponents.

    On his part, Sen. Jonah Jang (PDP-Plateau) said: “we are not serious in this country on the matters of insecurity.

    “Any person arrested should be prosecuted irrespective of his political godfather.

    “Plateau State had been in the forefront of attacks by Boko Haram. It is beyond what we think.

    “For whatever reason, some people are financing and backing Boko Haram, but only God knows.”

    He advocated for state police but called for a law that would create it.

    Also speaking, Sen. Kabiru Gaya (APC-Kano) called for a review of the Constitution to include roles for traditional rulers to give them opportunity to bring peace to their domains.

    In his remarks, President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki, said that there was definitely a collapse of security infrastructure in the country.
    He decried the level of impunity where people illegally carried arms all over the place.

    Saraki said that an ad hoc committee would be constituted to deal with the matter.

  • No more crisis in NEMA, says DG

    No more crisis in NEMA, says DG

    National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) Director-General Mustapha Yunusa Maihaja yesterday told the Senate that the industrial unrest which rocked the agency last week was over.

    The NEMA boss spoke when he met members of the Senate Committee on Special Duties who invited him over the industrial dispute between the staff and management of the interventionist agency.

    Maihaja told the committee that NEMA management had already commenced the implementation of a seven-point agreement it reached with the workers union.

    The seven-point agreement, he said, were aimed at ensuring sustainable industrial harmony and smooth working environment in NEMA.

    He noted that NEMA management was open for talks with the leadership of the union in order to address any area of disagreement.

    On the seven point agreement, the NEMA boss said that the main issue the union raised was the recall of its members posted outside NEMA headquarters.

    He also said that the union members raised the issue of payment of their overtime and Duty Travel Allowance involving over 788 staff members.

    He told the committee that in line with the agreement, over 200 staff members have been paid while payment for others was being processed.

    He said that the payment of hazard allowance demanded by the union was also being worked out while a framework for training and retraining of worker were being considered.

    On separation of women from their husbands, the DG said that he left a standing instruction that any woman who wanted to be reunited with her husband should write.

    On promotion, the DG told the committee that the NEMA management was ever prepared to follow laid down civil service procedure in matters of promotion of worker.

    Maihaja said that he is working to carry along the union leadership for them to appreciate the practicability or otherwise of certain demands.

    He said: “Above all demands, the interest of the organisation should always be paramount because without the organisation the union will not exist.”

     

    Chairman of the Committee Senator Abdul’Aziz Murtala Nyako asked the DG to always work to drive the organisation in order to give it focus.

    Senator Nyako also stressed the need for continuous industrial harmony in NEMA “especially now that NEMA has a lot to do in all parts of the country.”

    The lawmaker insisted that “whatever we do the bottom line is industrial peace and harmony.”

    The committee chairman mandated the DG to furnish the committee with progress report of the implementation of the agreement reached with the workers.

  • NEMA resolves workers’ issues, Union ends strike

    NEMA resolves workers’ issues, Union ends strike

    The Management of the National Emergency Management Agency ( NEMA ) on Friday resolved its labour issues with members of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, NEMA unit, ending its three-day warning strike immediately.

    A statement signed by Mr Sani Datti, Head of Media and Public Relations, made this known on Friday in Abuja.

    Also, Mr Sa’ad Bello, Chairman, National Association of the Senior Civil Servants in Nigeria, NEMA unit, confirmed the suspension of the strike to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.

    He said that the labour union and the management of NEMA reached an agreement after an all night meeting which was conveyed by Dr Chris Ngige, Minister of Labour and Employment.

    According to him, workers across the federation are hereby directed to resume their normal duties with immediate effect.‎

    Bello said that an agreement was signed by all the parties and gave a maximum of two weeks for the management to meet all the workers’ demands as contained in the Sept. 26 agreement.

    “Among the issues discussed were matters relating to the staff welfare and other areas of misunderstanding which were fully resolved with time line for implementation to be closely monitored by the Minister.

    “At the end of the meeting, a joint settlement agreement was signed by both parties with the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment as witness.

    “With these developments, the offices of NEMA hitherto closed are expected to reopen for normal operation nationwide on Friday,” Datti and Bello said.

    Datti said that those present at the meeting were the Management if NEMA led by Engr. Mustapha Maihaja, Director-General, NEMA and representatives of the national body of the Labour Union represented by the National President of Trade Union Congress.

    Others included the Secretary-General of the Association of the Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, FCT leaders of NLC and Nigeria Civil Service Union.

    Read Also: ‘ NEMA assists 5,623 disaster victims in Gombe’

    NAN reports that the meeting was conveyed following the three-day warning strike embarked on by NEMA workers nationwide on Thursday which led to the total shut down of its operations.

    The workers were agitating for the payment of allowances, renewal of life assurance policy, capacity building for staff, and redeployment of officers, who were unjustly transferred among others.

  • MMM, Foundation donate relief material to Benue flood victims 

    MMM, Foundation donate relief material to Benue flood victims 

    Relief came the way of some victims of the recent flood that ravaged some parts of Benue State courtesy of some donation of assorted food items by a non-governmental organization, Elohim Development Foundation (EDF) in partnership with MMM Nigeria.
    At the end of the food distribution exercise which took place in  Kirghir community of Markurdi, Benue State capital, the NGO said a total of 100 households comprising 595 people benefitted from the donation.
    Timothy Kerse, one of the beneficiaries of the food items, commended the foundation for deeming it fit to come to their aid after the devastation caused by flood and also expressed his heartfelt appreciation to MMM which provided the needed fund for procuring the food items.
     The traditional ruler of the community, Zaki, also appreciated the good gesture of the foundation as well as its funding partner. He used the occasion to call on well-meaning Nigerians and other corporate bodies to come to the assistance of the over 100,000 displaced persons affected by the flood in the state.
    Speaking to the media during the distribution exercise, Istifanus Yakubu, a guider with MMM, said that contrary to some people’s misconceived notions about the scheme, MMM is non-investment, not-for-profit online community where participants voluntarily provide and get financial assistance with their spare money.
    He said anyone participating in the scheme does so without expecting any profit or gain from whatever assistance he provides for others. Yakubu also stated that the donation of the food items was one of the voluntary responsibilities of the online scheme to the needy.
    It will be recalled that between August 25 and September 2, the flood had wreaked devastating havoc on some communities in Benue State affecting over 100, 000 according to the state emergency management agency. The devastation prompted federal government visitation to the state as well as interventions from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).
  • NEMA’s North East coordinator dies

    NEMA’s North East coordinator dies

    The North East Zonal Coordinator of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Alhaji Abdulsalam Muhammed, is dead.

    NEMA’s Head Media and Public Relations, Sani Datti, said in a statement that Mohammed died on Friday in Maiduguri.

    “The deceased coordinator was redeployed to Maiduguri about three weeks ago to take charge of the North East office after having served in the North Central Zone, Jos, Plateau State, in the same capacity,” Datti said.

    He added that the Director General of NEMA, Engr. Mustapha Maihaja, had expressed shock at the coordinator’s death death.

    He prayed to Allah to forgive his soul and give the family the fortitude to bear the loss.

    The deceased has been buried in Maiduguri.

    NAN

  • NEMA donates relief materials

    NEMA donates relief materials

    The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has donated two trucks load of relief materials to flood victims in Lokoja, Kogi State capital.

    The Head of NEMA Operations, Abuja Office, Mr. Idris Mohammed, who led a delegation to Lokoja, said they were in the state because of the flood, which displaced people.

    He added that some of the victims were living in camps and others with their friends or relatives.

    Mohammed said the materials comprised 500 mattresses, 500 mosquito nets, 500 blankets and 133 (50kg) bags of rice, noting that the donation would be continuous.

  • APC Chairman visits Benue flood victims

    APC Chairman visits Benue flood victims

    Mr John Oyegun, National Chairman, All Progressive Congress (APC), on Thursday said that the party was packaging a relief programme for victims of the Benue floods.

    Oyegun, who visited some of the areas affected by the disaster, told Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camped at the International Market, Makurdi that the party would strive to cushion the effect on those affected.

    Represented by the National Deputy Chairman, South, Chief Segun Oni, Oyegun said that the party leadership was in Benue on a solidarity visit to sympathise with the state and the flood victims.

    “APC is packaging a relief programme that will not only alleviate the sufferings of flood victims, but benefit the entire Benue people.

    “The relief programme will be in batches; the first batch will arrive this week.

    “The disaster is unfortunate and should not be a reoccurring decimal because it happened few years ago; we must now begin to dredge River Benue and other rivers, to put an end to it.

    “We must also begin to make sure that we use the shore lands of these rivers as it is done in other parts of the world, for the public good,” he said.

    Oyegun said that what happened to the Benue people had affected the entire country, adding that the APC family was with them.

    Earlier, Gov. Samuel Ortom had commended the APC and the Presidency for their quick response to the flood disaster, adding that he had received relief materials from NEMA, Nasarawa State Government, donor agencies, wife of President Buhari, among others.

    He said that the flood and ecological challenges had affected 21 out of Benue’s 23 local governments, adding that some federal and state roads were equally washed out.

  • Tension in NEMA over N665m liabilities

    Tension in NEMA over N665m liabilities

    Employees of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) are threatening to go on strike over unverified outstanding claims of N665million presented to the management, it was learnt yesterday.

    It was also learnt that between January and March, the claim requests of about N320million were incurred, to add to the existing amount.

    Director-General of the agency, Mustapha Maihaja, who assumed office in April, has declined to “rush to pay the claims without verification.”

    He has however been paying all overtime claims and other expenses due to the staff since he came on board.

    It was learnt that a committee has been raised to compile and verify the claims.

    The workers have demanded for payment of claims without verification since they were inherited from the previous management.

    The Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) had threatened to ask its members in NEMA to go on strike.

    They are angry over alleged refusal of NEMA management to pay legitimate overtime claims of deserving employees, non- renewal of the personnel life assurance policy and refusal to pay Duty Tour Allowance (DTA) and other claims of deserving employees.

    But NEMA management insisted that the bone of contention between it and employees was inherited claims of N665million which the workers did not want verified.

    According to records, the DG inherited about N2,801,170,370.49billion  including staff claims  of N665,243,041; N1,787,903,158.95 owed vendors and N348,024,170 as tax liability.

    Investigations confirmed that the compilation of staff claims had caused a stir in the agency following “discovery of startling revelations”

    While a senior officer is demanding a refund of N58,612,000 he spent on behalf of NEMA, another official on Grade Level 14 is seeking reimbursement of N14million expenses he incurred for the agency.

    A source in NEMA said: “The employee demanding N58.6m claimed to have spent the cash on behalf of NEMA in one day on April 6, 2017.

    “Some of the claims are just bogus. Where did an employee of NEMA get N58.6million to assist in paying the bills of the agency in one day?

    “There are others with suspicious claims of between N5million and N10million by some workers. The DG is ready to pay but he is insisting on the verification of the claims he inherited.

    “Some of those with bogus claims are suspected to be instigating other employees to go on strike.”

    Another source also attributed the tension in NEMA to the reposting of an official, Comrade Shaibu Afusatu, out of Abuja.

    The leadership of the Trade Union Congress (FCT Council) asked NEMA management to “reverse the posting in line with extant labour laws , international conventions and a subsisting agreement.”

    But NEMA in its response said: “The redeployment of the affected employee was a routine exercise carried out within the statutory responsibility of the management stipulated in their letters of appointment.

    “The action of redeployment of staff does not in any way amount to violation of relevant section of ILO Convention 87. The agency however supports and encourages and allows free and legitimate association among its staff and will continue to do so.”

    Director-General Maihaja told reporters at the weekend: “I inherited the liabilities and for all intents and purposes, a Chief Executive ought yo verify all claims that are not paid before he resumes. I am doing exactly that.

    “I have not owed workers their salaries since I came on board. Also, I have been paying all the claims of workers of NEMA  as and when due since I resumed  in April.”

  • NEMA donates relief materials to Benue flood victims

    The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) yesterday donated 27 different items as relief materials to flood victims in Benue and inspect affected areas.

    The Director-General NEMA, Mustapha Maihaja, told newsmen in Makurdi that he was in the state on presidential directives.

    He said that the directive was for the agency to quickly intervene into the Benue flood disaster and see how the victims would be assisted.

    Maihaja used the opportunity to extend President Muhammadu Buhari’s heartfelt sympathy to the flood victims in Benue and assured them of the Federal Government determination.

    He said that the relief materials were food stuffs, household items and other building materials, adding that after the official assessment of the areas, the actual areas of assistance would be ascertained.

    “We are here on a mission from Mr President to visit the flood affected areas and ascertain the level of damage caused by the disaster to enable us assist the victims in every way possible.

    “We brought 27 different relief materials to deliver to the state for onward distribution to the affected victims,” he said.

    He said that the materials were pre emergency response materials, adding that three trucks were on ground while five were still on the way.

    The D-G explained that the quantum of destruction could not be ascertained at the moment, adding that his team would be on ground to carry out the data to determine exact quantity.

    Maihaja said that the agency had not received any official communication from the Cameroonian government on the possibility of opening Lagdo Dam that caused the 2012 flood.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the items delivered to the state are rice, children clothes, building materials, foodstuffs and other household items.

    The D-G, while in the state visited the IDPs camp at International Market Makurdi and flood affected areas like Radio Benue, Idye village, Welfare Quarters, Guma, Achusa among others.

    Speaking to newsmen, Commissioner for Water Resources and Environment, Mr Joseph Utsev admitted that though they were expecting some element of flood this year, not of this magnitude.

    Utsev said that Makurdi Township lacked drainages that would control the run water into River Benue, adding that River Benue needed to be dredged to avoid a repetition of the 2012 disaster.

    He said that property worth billions of naira were so far destroyed among which were households, farmlands and businesses.

    The commissioner further appealed to the Federal Government to assist the state with funds for the construction of drainages and dredging of River Benue.

    He said that no life was lost since the beginning of the disaster this year.