The Director-General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Zubaida Umar, has urged staff members to adopt modern technologies in emergency management.
Ms Umar spoke on Monday at the opening of the NEMA Customers Service Week titled “Above and Beyond” in Abuja.
She commended the resilience and perseverance of the workers in the face of challenges.
Ms Umar said the world was in an era where technology was changing the landscape of emergency management, from early warning systems to disaster mapping and response coordination tools.
“Let us embrace innovation and continuously improve our systems and processes to better serve the public,” she advised.
Ms Umar tasked the workforce with teamwork, saying it remained one of the strongest assets of the agency.
According to her, the complexity of emergencies requires collaboration across different departments and external partners.
“As we celebrate Customer Service Week, let us reaffirm our commitment to working above and beyond in achieving excellence in service delivery, innovation and teamwork in all that we do.
“Together, we will continue to build a stronger and more responsive agency that stands ready to serve the people of this nation in their times of greatest need above and beyond their expectations,” she said.
In his remarks, Bello Danlami, the information officer of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), commended NEMA for the quality of its services.
He said NEMA’s unwavering dedication to providing timely and essential services in the face of emergencies and crises was commendable.
“At UNOCHA, we recognise the vital role that customer service plays in delivering humanitarian aid, and we salute your professionalism, resilience and commitment to serving those in need.
“As we continue to collaborate in addressing humanitarian challenges, we look forward to building on the strong foundation of partnership that we share,” he said.
In her remarks, Nnenna Akajemeli, the national coordinator, Service Compact with All Nigerians (SERVICOM), commended NEMA for the initiative.
Represented by the SERVICOM officer, Rebecca Abah, Ms Akajemeli said customers came first irrespective of shape or size.
She said that developing and implementing plans to prepare communities for potential emergencies remained fundamental.