Participate In Volunteer Services; FEMA Challenges Nigerians

By: Prudence Okonna

The FCT Emergency Management Agency,
(FEMA), has appealed to Nigerians to participate in volunteer services, particularly during emergency situations.

The Acting Director-General of FEMA, Mr. Mohammed Sabo, made this appeal at an event in Abuja to commemorate the 2023 International Volunteers Day, (IVD).

The Director-General noted that its in consonance with the tenets of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), which has seven years remaining to come to fruition.

His words: “Everybody must work together for our collective good and as regards disaster management if all of us work together we will reduce the risk of disasters “.

According to him, marking the International Volunteers Day  is also celebrating the less privileged in the society.

“During response or relief distribution they are the most vulnerable. There must be inclusivity”. He reiterated.

The Director-General, who was represented at the occasion by the Director of Relief and Rehabilitation, Engr. Abdul-Rahman Mohammed, noted that FEMA has about 500 volunteers, and said that most volunteers lacked the training and skill set required  for emergency response.

“FEMA trains and retrains our volunteers to improve their skills and knowledge”. He emphasized.

Also speaking, the Assistant Director, Nigerian National Volunteer Services in the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Emma Agodi, said the Federal Government recognizes the contributions of volunteers to national development and is mainstreaming their activities in line with the National Volunteer policy launched in 2020.

Speaking on the theme, “If everyone did”  the Country Coordinator of the United Nations Volunteer Programme in Nigeria, Veronica Obiuwevbi, said it calls for collective action of people to bring their skills and demand for change and to also cause a change.