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FEMA reviews preparedness of its divers, vanguards and rescue team ahead of heavy rainfall

Published

6 years ago

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Muhammad Musa Bello, FCT Minister

 

From Alhasan Abdullahi Abuja.

 

The FCT Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has held its second review and preparedness meeting with Divers, Vanguards and Rescue team in Abuja recently to review their level of preparedness for flood disasters and other emergencies in the FCT.

 

Declaring the 2-day meeting open,  the Director, Alh. Abbas Idriss said FEMA will continue to strategize in its bid to prevent the reoccurrence of disasters of any kind in the FCT.

 

The FEMA Boss who was represented at the meeting by Mrs. Florence Wenegiemie, Deputy Director, Forecasting, Response, and mitigation (FRM) gave this assurance while tasking the Divers, Vanguards and Response team to be more proactive in this raining season. This follows NIMET’S 2020 prediction of torrential rainfall and floodings in parts of the country including the FCT which has already claimed many lives and properties including Giri and Gwagwalada in the FCT.

NIHSA warns on impending flood in some states

The FEMA boss said that the meeting was imperative at this time to alert the Volunteers on the dangers of the season and to sensitize them on prevention, response, and mitigation measures. He also advised them to be adequately prepared Ed and be charged them with the responsibility of sensitizing their people especially as we approach the peak of this rainy season. She also reminded them of the need to remind their people that COVID 19 is real and still with us, hence, the need to maintain personal hygiene and take voluntary responsibility of their lives by adhering to COVID 19 instructions.

 

He alerted them of a possible flash flood in their communities if necessary preventive measures are not put in place to avert it, she urged all hands to be on deck to avert any more loss of lives to flooding in the FCT.

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The Director-General commended them for promptly swinging into action whenever there is an emergency in their localities before the arrival of FEMA response team, he then charged them as FEMA trained ambassadors to take the alert message home using their village town criers, Youths, and women groups as means of communication, noting that in previous years, FEMA embarked on annual community-to-community flood sensitization campaign in different Area Councils.

He said FEMA is now challenged with COVID 19 protocols that don’t allow large gatherings, but that FEMA has embarked on a wide media sensitization in different indigenous languages in different media channels.

 

He appealed to residents most especially those in the rural areas to always adhere to Government instructions so as not to fall victims of disasters and also to desist from unwholesome activities that could lead to disasters in the FCT. He advised residents to stop dumping refuse in waterways, do not build along flood plains, do not farm around river banks, do not drive or walk on flooded water and those that have houses around the river banks should move to higher grounds” he said.

 

Also speaking at the event, Miss Zhazim Josephine from Kwali Area Council (one of the volunteers) said she was motivated to enroll as a community Vanguard because of her interest to save lives “if people don’t come out to help the society, lives, and properties will continue to be lost and you can’t predict who will be next victim, thus the need volunteer” she said.

 

On what to take away from the meeting, Mr. Fwankat Isa Linus, a diver from Bwari Area Council said; “I have been empowered with the knowledge of preventing and mitigating flood disaster in my locality. “From here, I will go back and sensitize my people and neighboring villages on the alert of flooding this rainy season and how to prevent it because FEMA cannot do it alone “. He said

 

Earlier in the meeting, Mrs. Wenegiemie appealed to them to always report any case of the dead body around the waterways, according to her, “if someone is drowning in the flooded water, the water carries the dead body through the water channels away from the point of drawing, so if you witness any such incident, please report to your village head and then the police will alert FEMA”. She emphasized that FEMA advocates prevention and mitigation rather than disaster management and that all the relevant authorities have commenced the distilling of waterways, clearing of water channels and expanding narrow drainages for the free flow of water.

 

In his vote of thanks, Mr. Abubarkar Ododa Assistant Director, Education and Outreach (FRM) appreciated the Divers, Vanguard and Response Team for responding to the call of giving back to the society, and advised them not to let their people down by always doing the needful to avert disaster in their localities. He urged residents to always call the 112 Emergency told free number for the prompt response, he stressed that residents have a vital role to role as an emergency is everyone’s business.

 

The Day 1 of the meeting had in attendance representatives from Kwali, Gwagwalada, and Abaji, and Day2 featured representatives of Amac, Kuje, and Bwari, to allow for maintenance of social distancing and COVID 19 protocols.

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Bank of Ghana Appoints Prof. Bashir to Chair Islamic Banking Council

Published

23 hours ago

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August 20, 2026

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By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The Bank of Ghana has appointed Professor Bashir Aliyu Umar, a distinguished Islamic scholar from Nigeria’s Bayero University, Kano (BUK), as chairman of its newly constituted council for interest-free (Islamic) banking operations.

Governor Johnson Pandit Asiama formally inaugurated the council members during a brief ceremony in Accra. Professor Umar, a seasoned lecturer in Islamic studies at BUK, will lead the body in ensuring that Ghana’s non-interest banking sector operates in full compliance with Sharia law and its associated ethical principles.

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The appointment marks a significant step for Ghana’s financial sector, underscoring the central bank’s commitment to diversifying its banking landscape amid the rapid global expansion of Islamic finance.

Umar’s selection also highlights the increasing reliance on expert scholarly oversight to maintain regulatory integrity and religious adherence within this growing alternative banking model.

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MURIC Writes ICPC, Demands Access to Elrufai

Published

23 hours ago

on

August 20, 2026

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By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The Muslim Rights Concern, MURIC, has formally requested permission from the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, to visit former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, who is currently in the custody of the anti-corruption agency.

MURIC made the request in a letter submitted to the ICPC on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, by the chairman of its Abuja branch.

The group said the visit was intended to enable its representatives to meet with the former governor and assess his condition while in custody.

According to the organisation, a three-man delegation has been nominated to undertake the visit. The delegation comprises MURIC’s Executive Director, Prof. Ishaq Akintola; the chairman of the Abuja branch, Ustadh Yunus Salahudeen; and the branch’s assistant secretary, Shehu Ahmad Lemu.

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MURIC urged the ICPC to grant the delegation access to El-Rufai, stressing that the request was made in line with its civil liberties advocacy and concern for the welfare and rights of persons in detention.

The group noted that Mr El-Rufai had been in ICPC custody since Monday, February 16, 2026, following his detention by the anti-corruption commission.

MURIC said that, as of Tuesday, August 18, 2026, the former governor had spent approximately six months and two days in the custody of the commission.

The organisation did not disclose the specific conditions it intended to assess during the proposed visit, nor did it state whether the request was prompted by any particular complaint concerning El-Rufai’s treatment in custody.

The former Kaduna governor has been under scrutiny by anti-corruption authorities over allegations linked to his administration in the state. His continued detention has also attracted public attention, particularly given the length of time he has spent in custody.

MURIC’s latest request adds a civil liberties dimension to the ongoing case, with the organisation seeking direct access to the former governor through a formally constituted delegation.

The group said it was awaiting the response of the ICPC to its request.

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President Tinubu Appoints Abel Olumuyiwa As Head Of Service

Published

2 days ago

on

August 19, 2026

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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed Mr Abel Olumuyiwa Enitan as the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, effective August 27, 2026.

Mr Enitan succeeds Mrs Didi Esther Walson-Jack, who will retire soon from the Federal Civil Service upon attaining the statutory retirement age of 60.

Mr Enitan, from Osun State, is the most senior Permanent Secretary in the Federal Civil Service.

He has served as Permanent Secretary for seven years and seven months, working at the Ministry of Police Affairs, the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, and the Office of the Vice President. He is currently the Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Education.

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He brings considerable institutional experience and a deep understanding of how the Federal Civil Service works to his new responsibility.

President Tinubu expresses his profound appreciation to Mrs Walson-Jack for her distinguished service to the nation and for the reforms, impact and innovations witnessed in the Civil Service during her tenure.

The President wishes her a fulfilling and successful life after service and conveys the nation’s gratitude for her years of dedicated and impactful public service.

President Tinubu charges the incoming Head of the Civil Service of the Federation to consolidate on the reforms and innovations already underway, deepen professionalism and efficiency across the service, and build a more effective and responsive Civil Service capable of delivering on the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

The President further urges Mr Enitan to lead a Civil Service that is professional, merit-driven, accountable, innovative, and responsive to Nigerians’ needs and aspirations.

Enitan was born on December 12, 1966. He had his secondary education at Ajibode Grammar School, Ibadan and the College of Arts and Science, Ile-Ife. He later attended the University of Lagos and graduated in 1988 with a B.Sc. in Finance and Banking.

In 2015, Enitan obtained an M.Sc. in Public Policy Analysis from Nasarawa State University, Lafia.

 

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