COMMUNIQUÉ ISSUED AT THE END OF THE CITIZENS STAKEHOLDERS ENGAGEMENT ON EMERGENCY RESPONSE DURING THE COVID-19 HELD ON THE 8TH JUNE 2020, ON GOOGLE MEET
A communique issued after a citizens stakeholders engagement on emergency response during the Covid-19 held on a virtual platform (Google Meet) organized by Disaster Mitigation and Management Platform Kaduna, to discuss on how effective the civil society including the media are engaging on matters of disaster mitigation and management in Kaduna State.
The meeting which attracted discussants from media, civil society and community actors actively involved in the disaster mitigation and management in Kaduna State focusing on new developments brought about by the coronavirus pandemic in the working partnership between non-sta
te actors with Kaduna State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) and other critical government authorities.
OBSERVATIONS
Some key observations from the engagement include:
The Disaster Mitigation and Management Platform were established as a functional technical working committee where critical public actors and non-state actors working around disaster management can meet and provide support, coordination geared towards improving emergency service delivery.
SEMA is observed to have been significantly weakened in the face of the coronavirus crisis in Kaduna State as other ministries and agencies of Kaduna state government carry out leadership roles and responsibilities known to be the Agency’s core services.
The non-positioning of SEMA as active drivers of the emergency response and mitigation measures to contain the spread of coronavirus has reduced and closed out space for non-state actors involved in managing the crisis situation in Kaduna.
Except for providing donations, broadcasting or publishing press releases the media and civil society were never carried along in the activities related to the disaster management during the coronavirus pandemic.
The absence of relevant civil society in the Disaster Mitigation and Management Platform (DMMP) has been a major setback to developing effective and efficient synergy with stakeholders involved in the technical working group overtime.
The Kaduna State Contingency Plan was observed to have been set aside in emergency responses and challenges around disaster mitigation and management during the covid19 crisis in Kaduna State.
RESOLUTIONS
Advocacy visit to NEMA zonal office in Kaduna and SEMA to improve on communication that can help foster better working collaboration.
Conduct a hazard profiling in the State with Kajuru as pilot Local Government Area.
Open up DMMP for more Civil Society participation in disaster management in Kaduna state.
There is a need for improved synergy amongst media actors to improve information sharing and dissemination on disaster management.
Advocate for a review of the document establishing the stakeholders Technical Working Group is known as the DMMP
Advocate for the strengthening and restoration of SEMA as the critical driver of disaster mitigation and management in Kaduna State.
More capacity building for Civil Society on disaster risks management.
SIGNED:
Danjuma Abbas Dangwa
Coalition of Associations for Leadership, Peace, Empowerment and Development (SCALPED)
dangwamartins7@gmail.com
Mercy Ofuyah
Media
mofuyah2@gmail.com
Anthony Kaberah Sarina
Bridge That Gap Initiative
anthonykaberah@yahoo.com
Gloria Kasang Bulus
Network of Civil Societies in Environment (NCSE)
gloriakas@gmail.com
