Embattled Maihaja Wants New NEMA Act for Effective Mandate Delivery
BY SEGUN ADEBAYO, ABUJA – With a Presidential order on his neck to improve staff welfare; underfire Director General of National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Engineer Mustapha Maihaja says urgent amendment of the Act establishing the Agency is crucial in delivering effective emergency management in the country.
He has therefore urged the National Assembly, as a matter of urgent national importance, to pass the bill seeking amendment to the Act for improved disaster management and staff working condition.
Speaking when the NEMA’s management appeared before the House of Representatives’ Committee on Emergency and Disaster Preparedness in Abuja, Maihaja said the current Act is handicapped in providing the required conducive environment for NEMA’s effective mandate delivery.
He told the lawmakers that most burning issues that led to the one day nationwide workers’ strike last week could be adequately addressed through amendment of the existing NEMA Act.
The House Committee had convened the meeting between NEMA’s management and its staff union leaders to resolve the recent industrial disputes that led to a one-day nationwide strike by the workers last week.
Meanwhile, a statement by Sani Datti, Head, Media and Public Relations, NEMA, said the Director General was full of praise for the House Committee as well as the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige for their concerns and intervention to resolve the labour crisis.
The statement also said the Director General also assured the House Committee that the misunderstanding between the NEMA management and the Unions has been resolved, noting that the management never wished such labour matters to degenerate into a workers’ strike.
