By Philomina Attah
Lawmakers have called for stronger legislative synergy with the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to boost Nigeria’s capacity for effective emergency management.
Sen. Kaka Lawan, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Special Duties, made the call on Wednesday at a NEMA legislative retreat in Abuja.
The retreat was themed “Building a Resilient Nigeria: Strengthening Legislative Collaboration for Effective Emergency Management”.
It aimed to foster improved coordination between lawmakers and the agency in addressing disaster challenges.
Lawan, represented by Sen. Abdul Ningi, said the nation’s numerous emergencies, from disease outbreaks to disasters, test its capacity but also offer opportunities to strengthen institutions.
According to him, strengthening collaboration between the legislature and implementing agencies such as NEMA is critical to building a truly resilient Nigerian society.
Lawan commended NEMA’s management for convening the retreat, which he said provided a platform for reflection, dialogue, and strategic alignment.
He explained that the legislature’s role in lawmaking, oversight, and implementation is vital to ensuring emergency management systems were effective and adequately funded.
He assured the agency of the committee’s continued support and commitment to creating enabling legislative frameworks.
Similarly, Rep. Joseph Bassey, Chairman of the House Committee on Emergency and Disaster Management, identified poor budgetary allocation to NEMA as a key challenge undermining its capacity.
Bassey outlined a four-point agenda, including increasing NEMA’s funding, ensuring timely release of funds, and strengthening collaboration between the National Assembly and state agencies.
He also advocated for the timely release of appropriated funds and the development of innovative financing mechanisms to strengthen preparedness and response at the federal, state, and community levels.
Earlier, the Director-General of NEMA, Mrs Zubaida Umar, in her keynote address, noted that the interactive session was designed to enhance understanding between the legislature and the Agency on critical issues of disaster preparedness, response, and risk reduction.
Umar, who was represented by NEMA’s Director of Planning, Research and Forecasting, Dr Onimode Bandele, said that the engagement was convened to “harmonise NEMA’s relationship with the National Assembly.
She also said that the aim of the retreat was to strengthen alignment on policy direction, and secure legislative backing for sustainable investment, institutional reforms, and policy frameworks essential for national resilience.”
She emphasised that the growing complexity of disasters across the country demands a multi-sectoral approach, underpinned by clear legislation, adequate funding, and sustained political will.
She reiterated that close collaboration with the National Assembly is crucial to empowering NEMA to deliver its statutory functions effectively particularly in proactive disaster prevention, community resilience, and early warning systems.
On his part, Bandele in an interview with newsmen said the agency seeks to strengthen collaboration with the National Assembly to enhance its operations and bridge funding gaps.
He added that the retreat aimed to bring together the National Assembly and NEMA management to assess the agency’s performance and identify areas for improvement.
He also highlighted the need for the National Assembly to enrich NEMA’s act to account for emerging threats that were not considered when the act was first enacted in 1999.
He said, “Building a resilient Nigeria requires strengthening the collaboration between the legislators and NEMA.”
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the retreat featured a panel discussion on “Repositioning Nigeria’s Emergency Management Framework: The Role of the National Assembly.”
The panelists called for stronger commitment from the National Assembly Committees to deepen institutional collaboration, enhance legislative oversight, remove legal and policy bottlenecks.
They also called for a scale up investments in disaster-risk reduction and emergency-response infrastructure nationwide.(NAN)
Edited by Sadiya Hamza
