In a major push to decentralize and professionalize emergency response, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) Uyo Operations Office, in close partnership with the Cross River State Emergency Management Agency (CRSEMA), has successfully inaugurated Local Emergency Management Committees (LEMCs) across all 18 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Cross River State. The initiative, completed recently across the North, Central, and South senatorial districts, is designed to instill a robust, technically grounded framework for disaster mitigation and coordinated intervention at the community level.
The inauguration signals a shift towards statutory local accountability. CRSEMA Director General, Mr. Antigha Gill, underscored that the establishment of the LEMCs is legally mandated and essential for effective emergency management. He clarified the new governance structure: LGA Vice Chairmen have been formally appointed as the Heads of the LEMCs, serving as the front-line managers of local emergencies, while the LGA Chairmen retain the role of approving authorities. Mr. Gill stressed that timely reporting by these new structures is non-negotiable, cautioning that reliance on external actors for incident reporting could be viewed as negligence.
The event heavily featured technical training sessions aimed at equipping the new committees with the necessary expertise. Mr. Agbor Okim of the Nigerian Red Cross Society provided a technical overview covering essential disaster management concepts, reporting tools, and key terminologies. He instructed the local responders on the critical five pillars they must master: preparedness, mitigation, response, recovery, and resilience.
Further technical guidance was provided by the Head of Operations, NEMA Uyo Office, Mrs. Aisueni Mmandu, in her lecture, “Strengthening Local Structures in Nigeria: SEMA and LEMCs.” She outlined that collaboration, community involvement, decentralization, capacity building, and strong partnerships are the essential pillars for an effective local framework. Mrs. Mmandu also addressed common challenges, identifying inadequate funding and weak institutional structures, proposing periodic drills, and capacity building as practical solutions.
A representative from the United Nations further reinforced the technical emphasis by urging the newly formed committees to integrate technical experts into their structures to enhance operational efficiency.
