As the world marks the 2023 International Day of Disaster Risk Reduction, National Emergency Management Agency, (NEMA), has reiterated the need for concerted efforts to curb devastating impacts of human and natural disasters.

Director General, NEMA, Mustapha Ahmed, made the call during the agency’s celebration of the International Day of Disaster Risk Reduction, and ten years anniversary of Disaster Risk Reduction, (DRR) by NEMA, yesterday in Abuja.

He said the culture of risk awareness and reduction has been proven to increase risk communities’ resilience around the world as well as the protection of vulnerable groups facing inequality.

Reechoing the United Nations Secretary General’s call to all nations to ” to embed risk reduction in all investments and development decisions to bolster resilience especially, for the most vulnerable groups and persons”, the DG said inequality retards disaster resilience.

“This year’s theme ‘Fighting Inequality for the Resilient Future’ aligns with the inclusiveness position of the UN, to ensure that “no one is left behind”. The theme buttresses the need for all actors to come together to fight inequality in order to achieve inclusiveness.

“This becomes necessary as inequality has been identified as a major index capable of retarding disaster resilience. It underscores the rationale that the UN in 2015 spelt out Sustainable Development Goal 10 aimed to reduce inequality within and among countries”.

“With concerted efforts and awareness creation, we can curb the destructive powers of both nature and human Induced disasters through careful planning to reduce people’s exposure and vulnerability to harm,” the DG said.

Ahmed explained that “The Sendal Framework for DRR calls for more dedicated action on tackling underlying disaster risk drivers such as poverty and Inequality, Disaster risk reduction requires a society wide engagement and partnership.

“It also requires empowerment and inclusive, accessible and non-discriminatory participation, paying attention to people disproportionately affected by disasters especially the poor.

“It calls for Integration of gender, age, disability and cultural perspectives in all policies and practices while promoting women and youth leadership in our democratic processes.”

Director, Disaster Risk Reduction, NEMA, adds that for a decade, the agency has continued to promote DRR efforts in Nigeria.

He said these ten years marks the beginning of another decade for re-aligning and strengthening of DRR in Nigeria in partnership with stakeholders.

“Disaster risk reduction thrives on collaboration and synergy within the, philosophy of leaving no one behind.

“DRR is an inclusive approach that facilitates the realization of the vision propounded by great DRR thinkers for disaster risk management to grow in bounds and leaps globally. Even inequality among countries and human family can constitute a hindrance to this noble global initiative.”

Director Irrigation Agriculture and Crop Development, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Sugar Mahmood, notes that inequalities are most glaring when disasters such as drought, flood and storms strike.

She said “We must build resilience through collaboration and synergy as we cannot do it alone.

Mahmood laments that as the UN Sustainable Development Goals, (SDGs), draws closer, Nigeria is still far off all the targets hence the need for intensified efforts by all.