Plateau State Governor, Barr. Caleb Mutfwang, has expressed deep appreciation to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and other search and rescue organizations for their prompt intervention following the collapse of the Saint Academy building, which tragically claimed the lives of some students.
Governor Mutfwang conveyed his gratitude when the Director General of NEMA, Mrs. Zubaida Umar, paid him a courtesy call at the Old Government House, Little Rayfield, Jos.
He applauded the collaborative efforts between NEMA and the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) in addressing the humanitarian needs arising from the building collapse.
“We want to thank you sincerely for this nationalistic approach to disaster management. This is the kind of synergy that the Federal Government and States should have. We know that we are working ultimately for the interests of our people, and we appreciate you for showing this solidarity.
“We will continue to collaborate with NEMA and make sure that we benefit from your wealth of experience and connections to better prepare for any eventualities.”
The governor noted that the State Emergency Management Agency was in a dire state when he took office last year, pointing out that without his administration’s intervention, the agency would have been severely handicapped in addressing the tragic incident.
He emphasized the necessity of having a functional standby ambulance and solicited NEMA’s assistance in creating linkages with international organizations.
Governor Mutfwang appealed to the people of Plateau State to comply with government’s directives in respect to Executive Order 003, emphasizing that these measures are intended to improve the living standards of the people, not to punish or witch-hunt anyone.
“We must strengthen the institutional capacity of government bodies like JMDB. Since we came on board, people now recognize the existence of JMDB. I believe that more than 50% of the houses in Jos lack building approvals, and this is something we need to address if we want to prevent our cities from becoming modern slums,” he stated.
The Director General of NEMA, Mrs. Zubaida Umar, commiserated with the government and the people of Plateau State over the unfortunate incident at Saint Academy.
Mrs. Umar, who visited the site, expressed regret over the significant loss of lives and extended her deepest condolences to the families of the deceased students, while praying for the quick recovery of the injured.
“The outlook of NEMA is focused more on disaster reduction rather than being reactive. We aim to turn it into a very proactive institution, and we will need the help of the states to achieve that. I also want to commend you because the SEMA here was truly active in addressing the situation.”
