By Ruth Oketunde
Abuja – The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has placed all responders, emergency workers and staff members on alert due to the increase in the Coronavirus (Covid-19) cases in the country.
Mr Mustapha Maihaja, NEMA’s Director -General, represented by Mr Kayode Fagbemi, Director, Planning, Research and Forecasting of the agency, made this known in a statement after a meeting with stakeholders on effective mass care response to the pandemic.
In a statement signed by Mr Manzo Ezekiel, Head of Press of the agency on Friday in Abuja, Maihaja said:”the Agency is aware of the consequential impact of the pandemic, therefore we are coordinating other responders for security and logistics mass care in support of the response to the COVID -19.
‘‘Already, all staff have been put on alert as part of the essential services during the critical period of the pandemic.
‘‘NEMA has also commenced the implementation of strategies to provide leadership in security and logistics mass care response to Coronavirus pandemic in Nigeria.
‘‘In this regard, all structures as provided by the National Disaster Response Plan have been activated,’’ he said.
Maihaja added that all NEMA offices nationwide had been directed to liaise with the State Emergency Management Agencies and other relevant stakeholders in their respective areas to assign roles and responsibilities for effective response.
Representatives of organisations present at the meeting include; Office of the National Security Adviser, Defence Headquarters, Police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.
Others are Nigerian Red Cross Society, Federal Road Safety Corps, Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Federal Fire Service, Ministry of Interior and International Committee for Red Cross.
(NAN)