The newly appointed Director General, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mrs Zubaida Umar on Tuesday, assumed duties at the headquarters of the Agency in Abuja.
The new Director General was received on arrival by the management staff of the Agency.
She was joined by the Directors at the conference room where she received the handover notes from her immediate predecessor, Mustapha Habib Ahmed.
In her remarks, the new DG appreciated President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the trust and confidence reposed in her and assured that she will do her best with profound sense of duty, responsibility and dedication to unreservedly serve the country.
She said “The dedication and tireless efforts of all my predecessors have laid a solid foundation upon which we will continue to build and expand our capacity and ability to effectively carry out our mandate through proactive and innovative service delivery in emergency management.
I therefore acknowledge their respective contributions and pledge to build upon their legacies with deliberate focus, humility and determination.”
She promised to lead by example and sustain collaboration with relevant partners and requested for cooperation of NEMA staff towards achieving set targets of proactive disaster management, timely response to emergencies and other global standards in emergency response management.
“Nigeria, like many nations, faces a myriad of natural and man-made disasters that threaten our communities, security and infrastructure, therefore the need for innovative and effective emergency preparedness and response has never been more apparent. It is therefore incumbent on all of us charged with the responsibility of emergency management to re-orientate ourselves through a steadfast commitment to excellence, innovation, and inclusivity in service delivery. We should work together as a team with a common purpose and objective to enhance our nation’s resilience to face whatever emergency challenges we face,” She said.
She expressed optimism and determination that “as I embark on this journey with you, my colleagues, together, we have the resilience, the ingenuity, and the spirit to overcome any challenges that may come our way. Let us unite in purpose, let us forge ahead with courage, and let us build a more efficient emergency response agency through innovative, proactive and effective service delivery.”
On his part, the immediate past DG NEMA, Mustapha Habib Ahmed who was also received on arrival by NEMA staff, in his valedictory speech appreciated President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the opportunity and supports given him to serve.
He urged the management and staff of NEMA to extend the support and cooperation given him to the new Director General to succeed in her assignment. He also highlighted some of the achievements recorded under his tenure including the restoration of industrial harmony in the Agency, the completion of renovation of its headquarters, increased fleets of search and rescue equipment, human capacity development and sustaining of collaboration with critical stakeholders in disaster management amongst others.
