Director General of National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, Mustapha Ahmed, has assured Directors of World Food Programme and Cameroon, of its
commitment to sustain partnership to support emergency response and interventions of displaced persons.
The NEMA Boss, disclosed this during the courtesy visit paid by representatives/ directors of WFP Nigeria and Cameroon
On Wednesday in Abuja, He explained that the purpose of the visit is to enhance existing Cooperation and collaboration in the aspect of food and nutrition in order to assist vulnerable ones in Nigeria and Nigerians living in Cameroon affected by man made disaster.
He also stated that the collaboration dated back to 2009 when NEMA and WFP signed a memorandum of understanding for one year (September 2009 December 2010) which centered on Rapid Food Security Assessments Training.
“Training in humanitarian and Logistics management in Emergency situations, Emergency preparedness workshop, Telecommunications ‘Assessment mission and Emergency preparedness Federal and state capacity assessment mission.
“As a result of success, from the one year MOU NEMA and WFP entered a three year MOU from 2011 -. 2014 on Emergency Needs Assessment, Data processing and GIS, Emergency Preparedness and response, Disaster Risks Reduction, logistics, Emergency Telecommunication and Post disaster livelihood/Early recovery.”
He further said ‘WFP was also part of the tripartite meetings that was held in Marwa Far North Eastern Region from 2017 to 2022 to assist Nigerian refugees from North Eastern states that were camped in Minawao IDPs camp:
“And they contributed meaningfully in the feeding of the IDPs and other valuable assistance.
“Since last year WFP Nigeria have been training some NEMA and Ministry of Humanitarian affairs staff on shock response including cash policy transfer during emergencies.
Presently NEMA is intervening in Bakinjaw in the Southwest region of Cameroon where Nigcrians are taking refuge
According to him, “NEMA is doing a lot in respect to food security during emergencies including the ongoing Special National Emergency llivelihood Emergency Intervention (SNELET) project which is meant to assist farmers who lost their farm lands and domestic animals during the 2022 flood. About 578,211 households of farmers will benefit from. the intervention.
Earlier, Country Director, WFP Nigeria ,Mr David Stevenson, explained that the he main purpose he is on the visit with the Country Director from Cameroon, Wanja Kaaria is to talk with government counterparts, primarily some other UN agencies UNHCR, IOM about cross border movement as was mentioned, Cameroonian refugees in Nigeria, Nigerian refugees in Cameroon.
“We provide food assistance on either side of the border. Aiming for solutions for repatriation, resettlement, where it’s peaceful, but otherwise helping where the needs are and where civilians need assistance on either side of the border.
“So it just makes sense for us to collaborate, to work towards common systems of identifying people and needs common ways of assisting them. “
