Caleb Mutfwang, the Plateau state governor has commended the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) for its prompt response to the collapse of a two-storey building at Saint Academy Jos.
The governor expressed his appreciation when Zubaida Umar, the NEMA Director General, visited him at the Old Government House in Jos.
He praised the collaborative efforts between NEMA and the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) in addressing the humanitarian needs arising from the building collapse.
Governor Mutfwang noted that the State Emergency Management Agency was in a dire state when he took office last year and emphasized the need for a functional standby ambulance.
He solicited NEMA’s assistance in creating linkages with international organizations to better prepare for eventualities.
The governor appealed to the people of Plateau State to comply with government directives, emphasizing that these measures aim to improve living standards, not to punish or witch-hunt anyone.
He stressed the need to strengthen institutional capacity, citing that over 50% of houses in Jos lack building approvals, which must be addressed to prevent the city from becoming a modern slum.
Umar, the NEMA Director General, commiserated with the government and people of Plateau State over the incident and expressed regret over the significant loss of lives.
She extended her condolences to the families of the deceased students and prayed for the quick recovery of the injured.
Umar commended the Plateau State SEMA for its active response to the situation and emphasized NEMA’s focus on disaster reduction and the need for states’ support to achieve this goal.
BusinessDay reported that the Plateau State Government has confirmed a devastating building collapse at Saint Academy Jos which took place on Friday resulting in 132 injuries and 22 deaths.
