FCT FEMA Holds Maiden Annual Sports Week
By: Gyang Dakwo
The FCT Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recently held the Maiden edition of its annual Sports Week where it demonstrated the relationship existing between sports and emergency management.
Four teams- Relief, Response, Preparedness, and Early Warning- representing the Divisions in the agency participated in eight events namely, football, basketball, volleyball, chess, badminton, Table Tennis, scrabble, and Tug of War from 29 November to the 1st December at the Nigerian Tulip International College sports complex in Abuja.
Speaking during the closing ceremony of the two-day event, FEMA Director-General, Abbas Idriss pointed out the role of sports in fostering peace and mutual coexistence among people of different sociocultural and religious backgrounds.
The Director-General, who was represented by the Acting Director Forecasting, Response, and Mitigation, Florence Wenegieme, stated that in view of the nature of its operations, FEMA is desirous of having and maintaining a workforce that is in the top physical condition and primed to respond to emergencies within the shortest possible time.
He, therefore, enjoined the staff to always place a premium on their physical fitness as that will put them in shape for optimum productivity.
His words: “We are all aware of the importance of sports in our lives and especially for staff of FCT Emergency Management Agency. This is to keep all of us fit, looking at the nature of our job, we have to be prompt, we have to be alert and we go out at any point in time. That is why sports is very important to keep us fit and make sure that each and every one of us irrespective of your division should be ever ready to go out on any kind of rescue operations at any time there is a distress call.”
He also expressed gratitude to the management of Nigerian Tulip International College for allowing FEMA to use its sports facilities as well as all staff of the agency particularly those charged with organizing the event for working tirelessly to make it a success; adding that he is looking forward to the next edition, which he hopes will be bigger and better.
Chairman of FEMA Sports Committee, Ododa Abubakar in his remarks said the annual event which is the summing up of the weekly sports of the agency was conceived to primarily keep FEMA personnel physically fit as well as foster mutual relations among the staff.
He further stated that it also serves as a breath of fresh air away from their oftentimes dangerous and unpleasant tasks of responding to emergencies.
His words: “To underscore the importance of sports as an agency, the Director General once asked, ‘If you are not fit how do you want to rescue? “In addition we all agree that being physically and mentally fit enables us to discharge our duties for the best possible outcome.
“It is as a result of this that we resolved to engage in weekly fitness and sports activities to keep us fit for the job of reducing disaster risk for a safe and happy FCT”
Medals were awarded to winners in the various events while a trophy was presented to Team Relief who emerged overall winners of the games.
