Stakeholders in emergency management in Nigeria have called on the National Assembly to amend the act that established the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to strengthen its roles in disaster management.

A statement signed by NEMA spokesman, Yusha'u Shuaibu, stated that the stakeholders through a Technical Working Group have identified areas in the NEMA Act that require the amendment in a draft bill to be presented to the National Assembly.

He said members of the group include legal luminaries, legislators, academics, professionals, civil society activists, among others.

Facilitator of the group, Professor Muhammed Tawfiq Ladan of the Faculty of Law, Ahmadu Bello University Zaria said the focus of the proposed amendment was to expand the mandates and powers of NEMA to include lead coordination in the management of all types of disasters and all phases of internal displacement in Nigeria.