Bill to amend NEMA Act passes second reading in Nigerian Senate

The bill seeks to create a Department of National Flood Mitigation and Insurance Programme in NEMA.

A bill for an Act to amend the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, Act of 2004 passed its second reading at the House of Representatives on Thursday.

The bill seeks to amend the NEMA law and create a Department of National Flood Mitigation and Insurance Programme in NEMA.

Leading debate on the merits of the bill, Emmanuel Jime (PDP-Benue) said that the essence of the proposed legislation was to make the emergency agency more proactive in its activities.

He said that the information received from relevant agencies indicated that the country would likely witness more flooding within the year.

Mr. Jime stressed the need to have a department under NEMA that would be saddled with the duties of ensuring that standards of building were properly provided and strictly followed.

According to Mr. Jime, proper ordinances are not put in place before buildings standing in the way of flooding are erected.

He said that the proposed department which would be under NEMA would ensure that proper procedure was followed.

The legislator said that the bill would also address the issues of buildings on waterways.

In his contribution, Bimbo Daramola (ACN-Ekiti) said that the bill was timely.

Peter Edeh,(PDP-Ebonyi), opposed the bill, saying that the proposed department would take away the functions of an agency already established.

The mild opposition notwithstanding, the bill passed second reading.

The Deputy Speaker, Emeka Ihedioha, referred it to the Committee on Emergency and Disaster Preparedness for more inputs.

(NAN)