Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal, has reaffirmed government’s commitment to continuing its partnership with the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).
The Governor attended the 2025 International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction, and the launch of the related strategy in Abuja.
A statement by the governor’s spokesperson, Sulaiman Idris, revealed that Vice President Kashim Shettima, led the official launch of NEMA’s strategic plan (2025–2029), the Disaster Risk Reduction, (DRR) strategy, (2025–2030), and the Action Plan (2025–2028).
The statement added that the event with the theme, ‘Fund Resilience, Not Disaster,’ gathered all stakeholders across Nigeria.
In his goodwill message, Governor Lawal praised NEMA for organising a timely dialogue, and for their dedication to enhancing Nigeria’s disaster risk management framework.
He said, “Disasters occur in a vicious cycle, where one disaster fuels another. Our experience underscores the saying that no risk is truly isolated; it is interconnected, and managing it requires a strategic approach.
“As we launch the Strategic Plan, and deliberate on funding models, I urge all stakeholders to deepen collaboration, and ensure that no stakeholder is left behind, in our collective effort to build a safer, more resilient Nigeria.
“The theme of today’s International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction, ‘Fund Resilience, Not Disasters,’ must be transformed into concrete plans during this roundtable.”
He noted that to ensure sustainability, it is crucial to build resilience in funding, as disaster management is a dynamic and evolving process.
“Funding mechanisms should be dynamic, flexible, and readily available.”
Governor Lawal further added that Zamfara faces many disasters.
And emergencies, both natural and man-made, such as insecurity, fires, displacement, mining shaft collapses, floods and other adverse effects of climate change, among others.
“Through it all, we can always count on NEMA to be there, as part of the management, recovery, reconstruction, and mitigation efforts. Therefore, I thank you on behalf of the Government and People of Zamfara State for your efforts and interventions, and for always being there in our times of need.
“The Zamfara Emergency Management Agency, (ZEMA), has been granted greater powers to enhance its emergency response. We are integrating disaster risk management into governance, through early warning systems, community engagement, and institutional reforms, as we believe systemic resilience starts at the sub-national level.
“Before I conclude, I want to express our sincere appreciation to His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, for his leadership during these challenging times.
“I also extend my gratitude to my brother, Vice President Senator Kashim Shettima GCON, for his support, and to Zubaida Umar, the Director General of NEMA, along with her team, and all organisations assisting Zamfara in overcoming our current challenges.”
(Editor: Paul Akhagbemhe)
