The Christian Rural and Urban Development Association of Nigeria (CRUDAN) Southwest zone, a non-governmental organisation, has called relevant institutions and other stakeholders to collaborate in reducing disaster risks in Nigeria.
The Zonal Programme Officer(ZPO), CRUDAN, Mr John Akinpelu, made the call at a day consultation meeting with policymakers on Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) on Thursday in Ibadan.
The consultation meeting has as its theme:”Mitigating the Challenges of Disaster Risks Reduction through Advocacy and Policy Reform.
Akinpelu said that the aim of the consultation meeting was to ensure active participation and involvement of people in the grassroots on disaster risk mitigation.
He said that the meeting also sought to bring synergy between Civil Society Organisation (CSOs) and other stakeholders to reach larger audience for proper disaster risk mitigation.
“We believe that we should not wait for government in addressing issues of disaster management anymore while people’s lives are being wasted.
“What we are looking for is grassroot responsibilities from people at local communities to see on what they can do to save the situation.
“This meeting also seeks to create massive multiplying effects, sensitisation and fairness in government activities in the area of disaster risk reduction and management,” he said.
Also speaking, Dr Adebimpe Aderounmu, the Executive Director, Development Advocacy and Values Renaissance Initiative(DAVRI), Nigeria, said that the adoption of effective advocacy was critical to policy reform, towards achieving disaster risk reduction in Nigeria.
Aderounmu said that there should be a systematic, cost-effective and sustainable efforts to identify, asses and develop good services, targeted at reducing the risks and severity of natural disasters in Nigeria.
He added that the stakeholders should adopt the use of advocacy tools such as campaigns, rallies, jingles among others to sensitive citizens on disaster risk reduction.
Aderounmu reiterated the need for resources mobilisation, data collection and capacity development in addressing issues concerning disaster risk reduction.
“There is need to create more democratic open and accountable decision-making structures and processes. Obtain broad participation and support for initiatives that affects peoples lives,”he said.
Mr kolawole Amusat-Gbenla, Executive Director, Centre for Disaster Risk and Crisis Reduction (CDRCR), said that the global paradigm shift in the recent time necessitated the adoption, acceptance and appreciation of disaster risk reduction as the new means and strategy to the disaster risk management.
Amusat-Gbenla emphasised the need to raise community awareness on natural and human induced disaster.
He also noted the need for the establishment of the disaster risk management team in every local government area.
According to him, this will help to increase community participation in planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of disaster risk reduction activities.
Mrs Motunrayo Adeniji, Deputy Director, Admin, Oyo State Emergency Management Agency (OYSEMA), said that the Oyo government through the ministry of local government would continue to collaborate with relevant stakeholders.
He said that this would lead to a formidable emergency risk management team across all local government in the state.
She said that OYSEMA would soon begin sensitisation programme on disaster risk reduction in schools, markets, religion places and public gatherings in the state.
The Assistant Zonal Coordinator, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mr Olanrewaju Akinade, said that the necessary political will, in conjunction with strategic advocacy, should be taken into consideration when addressing disaster risk reduction.
He expressed readiness of NEMA to work stakeholders in an effort to mitigate the challenges of disaster risk reduction actions through policy reform.
Reports have it that the consultation meeting featured contributions, responses and and commitments from policymakers and stakeholders.
The stakeholders include Red Cross, Fire Service department, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Nigerian Security and Civil Devence Corps(NSCDC), among others.