The Director General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mrs. Zubaida Umar, has taken remarkable steps to enhance the agency’s effectiveness by equipping directors and operation heads with essential skills for improved leadership and service delivery.

In tune with efforts to also realign and strengthen the agency’s leadership strategies amid rising disaster occurrences in the country, a management retreat was organised for directors and operational heads weekend.

During the retreat, Mrs. Zubaida Umar, urged participants to intensify efforts to reduce response times to disasters. She acknowledged challenges such as limited resources and the reluctance of some stakeholders to fulfill their roles, but stated the agency’s commitment to revitalising its responsibilities in proactive disaster coordination and timely incident response.

A presentation by a foremost leadership expert, the executive director of the African Centre for Leadership, Strategy and Development, Dr. Otive Igbuzor, encouraged NEMA to strive to become a model organisation for disaster management in Africa.

He highlighted the importance of strengthening leadership collaboration, prioritising funding, leveraging digital technology, engaging communities, and incorporating climate change considerations into the agency’s strategies.