Ekiti govt seeks partnership with NEMA

Ekiti Government has advocated a stronger partnership with the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to assist the victims of disasters in the state.

The Deputy Governor, Chief Bisi Egbeyemi, disclosed this during a familiarisation visit of Mr Kadri Olanrewaju, the new NEMA Head of Operations (for Ekiti, Ondo and Osun), to his office on Wednesday in Ado-Ekiti, FELLOW PRESS reports.

Egbeyemi, who expressed delight in welcoming the new NEMA boss to the state, noted that the state government was looking forward to a more robust partnership with the agency to give succour to victims of natural and man-made disasters in the state.

He explained that SEMA, an agency under the supervision of his office, had been doing its best in giving assistance to victims of disasters within the available resources for over three years of Gov. Fayemi led-administration.

While commending NEMA for its operations in the state, Egbeyemi used the forum to call for more assistance for victims of disaster in the state and help them live normal lives.

“We are ready to cooperate with you, in fact, we are seeking a stronger and more vibrant partnership with your agency (NEMA) because you have been doing a great job in Ekiti.

“You have been of great support for victims in this state and we need more of it. I recall that relief materials were given to disaster victims last year, but I want to say that we need more to assist our people who suffer the pangs of these disasters.

“The SEMA chairman and his team have equally been doing their job very well, but we want you to help us know the areas you want us to come in and assist you in your operations,”Egbeyemi said.

Earlier, Olanrewaju said a smooth relationship with the state government was very key in achieving the aims and objectives of the agency in making life easier for victims of disasters.

He said that NEMA recently did an assessment of victims and properties damaged by rainstorms in Ayegbaju-Ekiti, Orin-Ekiti and Ikere-Ekiti with the official report already forwarded to the agency’s national headquarter in Abuja.

“We want the state government to partner with NEMA for us to have smooth relationship in fulfilling our mandate and seamless operations.

“We are here to bring succour to the distressed and we need the assistance of the state government to make this possible,” he said.

NAN reports that the NEMA boss was accompanied on the visit by the Chairman of Ekiti State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), retired Capt. Sunday Adebomi and other officials of the two agencies from national and state levels.