The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) was established via Act 12 as amended by Act 50 of 1999, to manage disasters in Nigeria. It has been tackling disaster-related issues through the establishment of concrete structures.
FUNCTIONS OF NEMA
The Act vested the authority of managing disasters in Nigeria NEMA. According to the enabling law; the Agency shall among the other things,
(a) Formulate policy on all activities relating to the disaster management in Nigeria and co-ordinate the plans and programmes for efficient and effect response to disasters at national level;
(b) Monitor the state of preparedness of all
FACILITIES AND INFRASTUCTURES NEMA ADOPTS FOR COORDINATING DISASTER MANAGEMENT
Mission Control Centre (MCC)
The mission Control Centre located in the Headquarters of NEMA is a computer based satellite technology that uses the COSPAS-SARSAT hi-tech system/facility. The system is designed to pick distress alerts and location data to assist in Search and Rescue Operation, using spacecraft and ground facilities to detect and locate the signals of distress beacons operating on 406 MHz. When there is a distress alert from the beacon located on a ship or aircraft, the satellite system transmits the signal to the ground segment facilities from where the data is processed and transmitted to the appropriate Mission Control Centre (MCC). The MCC now alerts the nearest Rescue Coordinating Centres (RCC) or Disaster Reaction Units (DRU) of the Army, Air Force, and the Navy for appropriate and immediate action.
Geographic Information System (GIS)
The agency has established a functional GIS lab for early warning and precision in response to the management. The lab collects spatial data, analyses and prepares useful information that helps to aid responses to disaster. It is one of the significant facilities of the agency for its disaster risk reduction programme.
Mobile clinics
Time is a crucial element in disaster management. In recognition of this, the agency obtained approval and procured facilities for mobile clinics that have been strategically stationed in Abuja, Kaduna, Lagos and Port Harcourt to be deployed in the event of any major disaster. While arrangements are on to acquire more of the clinics, the agency has also procured a good number of ambulances stationed in Abuja and all the six zonal offices.
Helicopter for Search and Rescue
The agency has in place a helicopter for search and rescue. The helicopter is station in Abuja and manned by Officers of the Nigerian Air force. Necessary arrangements are being concluded to acquire additional helicopter which they hope that with time there would be one for each of the six geo-political zones.
