By Stanley Onyekwere
The Federal Capital Territory Emergency Management Agency(FEMA), is working out modalities to build a professional team of volunteers, to help manage and control disaster especially flooding in and around the Territory.
The Agency noted most of experienced people, who are retired and would like to give back their expertise in saving the lives and properties of the residents of the FCT.
Making this known in a chat with some newsmen in his office, the Director-General of FEMA, Alhaji Abbas Idriss noted that the team, comprising old hands who are experienced and contributed to the development of Abuja and understand its topography.
Idriss disclosed that FEMA intends to come up with professional groups who can form themselves as clusters, especially hydrologists, structural and civil engineers, town planners, to advise the Agency on the best way to stop flooding in and around the FCT.
He applauded the efforts made by the Nigerian National Volunteer Service in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation “who are working to ensure the culture of volunteerism is enshrined in our daily activities, that’s why we are working with that office to promote the culture of volunteerism”.
He further explained FEMA volunteers have been integrated into its programmes.
“We train them, give them modern tools to work. If there is any flooding in the City or anywhere in the Area Councils, our volunteers are the first to go into the water.
“In the rural areas, we rely solely on our volunteers and Vanguards, because they are always on the ground”, he stressed
Furthermore, the FEMA boss appealed to Nigerian youths, who do not want to volunteer to have a rethink as volunteerism is one way of giving back to society.
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