The National Security Adviser (NSA), Malam Nuhu Ribadu, on Wednesday said that unmanaged natural disasters can exacerbate insecurity, enable displacement, disrupt critical infrastructure, and deepen societal fragilities.
Ribadu stated this at the Validation Workshop for the Anticipatory Action Framework for Nigeria, on Wednesday in Abuja.
The workshop was organised by Office of the Vice President and United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
The NSA said the workshop was a crucial step toward coordinating, fixing and monitoring floods as well as other disasters.
He said it was a reaffirmation of the government’s commitment to advancing early warning systems and timely response mechanisms as vital instruments for safeguarding the most vulnerable populations from the devastating impact of disasters.
“As we are aware, unmanaged disasters can exacerbate insecurity, enable displacement, disrupt critical infrastructure, and deepen societal fragilities.
“Strengthening our anti-spatial capacity is therefore essential to protecting lives. It is also essential to safeguard national assets and reinforce the resilience of our communities.
“Additionally, early warning systems sit at the heart of this effort. While technology enables us to predict hazards with increasing accuracy, it is preparedness, communication, and coordination that transform warnings into effective action.
“This is where the Anti-Spatial Action Task Force has shown remarkable leadership by developing strategic framework that lends data, local knowledge, and community engagement into a progressive, forward-looking model for disaster risk reduction,’’ he said.
Ribadu thanked Vice President Kashin Shettima, for his steadfast leadership and commitment to national resilience, as well as international partners.
He said the collaboration between ministries, agencies and departments and civil society organisations was part of the effort of the current administration to improve lives and respond to the challenges of the people.
The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, Nentawe Yilwatda, said that lack of unified, interoperable data system made it nearly impossible to get early warning and aid effectively.
Yilwatda said there was need to visualise data in their operability and ensure that social registers were integrated into disaster preparedness and response efforts.
He advocated for a multi-agency coordination centre under the leadership of the Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NIMET) to host a National Risk and Vulnerability Coordination Hub. (NAN)
