The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and World Bank have received Gov. Babagana Zulum’s support toward the implementation of Emergency Preparedness and Response (EPR) Plan in Borno.
Zulum gave the assurance when he received a high-powered delegation from NEMA and World Bank on Monday in Maiduguri.
Alhaji Bukar Tijjani, the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), who received the delegation on behalf of the governor, expressed appreciation to NEMA and the World Bank for their longstanding partnership with Borno, especially in humanitarian and post-insurgency recovery interventions.
“NEMA has been one of the most collaborative federal entities supporting us in all emergencies, from floods to insurgency and health crises.
“The World Bank has also stood by us through the most difficult times. They are not just partners; they are friends of Borno,” the governor said.
He said Borno’s inclusion as one of the seven pilot states for the EPR plan was a recognition of its proactive approach to disaster management and institutional reforms through the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA).
Zulum said that his administration’s leadership philosophy had prioritised self-reliance, early intervention, and collaboration with both national and international partners.
“We use our own technical, human, and financial resources to start interventions, and then collaborate with agencies like NEMA and the World Bank for sustainability,” the governor said.
Zulum, however, commended SEMA and NEMA’s North-east Zonal Office for their synergy and consistent coordination in managing humanitarian response and resettlement programmes.
“We have always worked in complementarity, not in competition.
“This teamwork will continue to be strengthened,” he said.
The governor promised to continue to provide institutional cooperation and logistical suport for the successful execution of EPR in the state.
Earlier, the Director-General of NEMA, Mrs Zubaida Umar, said they were in Borno as part of a joint mission to assess the state’s level of preparedness under the ongoing EPR framework, supported by the World Bank.
Umar, who was represented by Dr Bandele Onimode, Director Planning Research and Forecasting in NEMA, said the visit would also evaluate and improve the state of disaster readiness.
She said only seven states were selected for the pilot phase, adding that Borno was chosen as a result of its exemplary leadership and operational excellence in disaster management within the North-east.
“The choice of Borno is not by accident. It is a shining example of effective disaster management in the North-east.
“With this collaboration, we believe emergency preparedness and response will be taken to greater heights,” the director general said.
Umar insisted that the success of the EPR project in the state would require the political will and active participation of the state government, as well as the commitment of all relevant stakeholders to ensure effective implementation.
“It will need the political buy-in of the state government to make it work.
“It will need deliberate decisions and the support of all stakeholders involved to give their best so that the programme will see the light of day,” she said.
The director general also congratulated the state government for revitalising SEMA, describing the agency’s progress as a model of institutional transformation that demonstrates the state’s commitment to saving lives and protecting communities.
“These are the kind of positive changes we need to see.
“When subnational emergency agencies are strengthened, NEMA’s burden is lessened, and our national response system becomes more resilient,” Umar said.
She, however, reaffirmed NEMA’s readiness to continue working closely with the state government and development partners such as World Bank to enhance efficiency and sustainability of disaster preparedness and response mechanisms in the region
