Leadership (Abuja)
Bamun Nii-Veror
22 October 2007
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), has disclosed that more than 200 million people are affected every year by natural disasters.
This was contained in a statement signed by NEMA information officer, Mr. Ibrahim Farinloye and made available to LEADERSHIP.
According to the statement, out of these, children under 18 are among the most vulnerable especially if they are attending school at the time disaster strikes.
The director general, NEMA, AVM Audu-Bida opined that if people in places threatened by natural disaster were conscious of the risk and know how to protect themselves, there would be fewer deaths, fewer wounded or less destruction when disasters strike.
Speaking at the occasion of the 'International Day on Disaster Risk Reduction Campaign' titled: Disaster Risk Reduction Begins in Schools, AVM Audu-Bida maintained that, 36 countries have included hazards teaching in primary and secondary school curricula whereby Algeria, Senegal, Kenya, Uganda, Madagascar and Mauritania are the only African countries amongst these countries of the world.
He said in 2005, more than 92,000 people died in 150 disasters while economic losses were at $220 billion. But quoting the World Bank, losses caused by disasters in developing countries, in terms of percentages of the Gross National Productivity are 20 times higher than those in developed countries.
"The humanitarian consequences have been projected to increase in years to come due to global warming and climate change if appropriate steps are not taken now".
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