By Nkechi Eze
The FCT Emergency Management Department (FEMD) and the FCT Community Action for Resilience and Economic Stimulus (FCT-CARES) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen disaster management, emergency response and early warning dissemination across the Federal Capital Territory.
According to an official statement signed by the Head of Public Affairs, FEMD, Nkechi Isa, the partnership is designed to integrate disaster risk management and emergency preparedness into FCT-CARES-supported interventions, particularly those affecting vulnerable households, livelihoods and communities exposed to flooding and other climate-related hazards.
Under the agreement, FEMD will provide available emergency alerts, disaster risk information, flood and hazard advisories, early warning updates and technical guidance on emergency preparedness and disaster risk reduction, subject to its statutory mandate.
FCT-CARES, on its part, will facilitate engagement with FEMD, communicate relevant programme information, encourage the appropriate use of emergency and safety advisories in programme activities and support access to relevant disaster risk information.
The collaboration also provides for joint public sensitisation, capacity-building activities, technical consultations and information exchange to improve the integration of disaster risk considerations into programme planning and implementation.
Both institutions will designate focal persons to coordinate activities under the partnership, maintain effective communication and facilitate periodic technical engagements to assess progress and identify areas for improvement.
The agreement is expected to promote the use of reliable disaster risk information and timely warnings in development interventions, helping to improve programme planning, implementation and sustainability in communities vulnerable to emergencies.
The MoU will remain in effect for five years from its commencement.
The Director of FEMD, Engr. Muhammad Dikko, signed the agreement on behalf of the department, while the General Manager of FCT-CARES, Engr. Obinna Okafor, signed for the programme.
The partnership is expected to strengthen coordination between disaster management and community development institutions in the FCT, with a focus on protecting vulnerable populations and building more resilient communities.
