YOBE SEMA CALLS FOR STRONGER FEDERAL-STATE COLLABORATION AT NEMA LEGISLATIVE RETREAT IN ABUJA
Yobe SEMA Calls for Stronger Federal–State Collaboration at NEMA Legislative Retreat, 2025 – Abuja
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) hosted its Legislative Retreat on Wednesday, 5th November 2025, at the Lake Greenfield Hotel & Towers, Abuja, bringing together lawmakers, policy experts, and emergency management professionals to deliberate on “Repositioning Nigeria’s Emergency Management Framework – The Role of the National Assembly.”
The event commenced with Opening Remarks and a Keynote Address by the Director-General, NEMA, who underscored the need for stronger institutional synergy, proactive legislation, and sustainable financing to strengthen Nigeria’s national resilience system.
Goodwill messages were delivered by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Special Duties, Sen. Kaka Shehu Lawan (represented by Sen. Abdul Ningi), and the Chairman, House Committee on Disaster and Emergency Preparedness, Rt. Hon. Joseph Bassey, both of whom alongside other Distingushed Senators and House of Reps Memebers reaffirmed the commitment of the National Assembly to support reforms that enhance emergency preparedness, transparency, and accountability in disaster management.
The retreat featured three high-level technical sessions:
Session 1: Nigeria’s Disaster Risk Profile and the Role of NEMA – presented by Dr. P.R.F., which examined Nigeria’s evolving disaster landscape and the urgent need for localized risk mapping.
Session 2: Legislative Oversight and Budgetary Support – Bridging the Gaps – led by Mr. Emmanuel O. Nyaegbunam, highlighting how stronger legislative oversight can ensure timely and equitable resource allocation for emergency management.
Session 3: Legal and Policy Reforms for Effective Disaster Management in Nigeria – delivered by Prof. U.O. Suleiman , SAN, emphasizing the importance of clear mandates and enforceable frameworks for coordination between federal and state actors.
The Executive Secretary, Yobe State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), joined as a Panelist in the session on “Repositioning Nigeria’s Emergency Management Framework – The Role of the National Assembly,” where he called for:
Formal integration of SEMAs into national decision-making platforms.
The creation of a Federal–State Emergency Coordination Cell chaired by NEMA DG.
Reforms promoting risk-informed budgeting, urban planning enforcement, and community-based disaster risk committees.
He emphasized that resilience must become a national culture, embedded in education, policy, and governance systems—outliving administrations, political cycles, or emergency moments.
The retreat concluded with a shared understanding that building a safer, more resilient Nigeria requires stronger systems, not just stronger responses—anchored on collaboration, accountability, and long-term policy reforms.