The Deputy Governor of Ekiti State, Chief (Mrs) Monisade Afuye, has assured that the partnership between the State and the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency(LASEMA), will inject efficiency into disaster management operations and bolster regional integration in the Southwest region.
Afuye, who commended Governor Biodun Oyebanji’s strides for excellence and for brokering the collaboration, said the initiative will help in safeguarding the lives and property of the people through effective peer review mechanism between the two states.
Mrs Afuye said these in Ado Ekiti, on Friday, while playing host to some experts from LASEMA, who visited the state as a follow up to the engagement had with Governor Oyebanji in Lagos last week.
Addressing the visitors, Mrs Afuye, in a statement by her Special Assistant on Media, Victor Ogunje, praised the experts from LASEMA for conducting wide range of survey on how best to manage disaster in Ekiti across Ministries , Departments and Agencies of government.
She stated that the government of Governor Oyebanji had done exceedingly well in palliating the sufferings of disaster victims, in spite of paucity of funds in the state.
Mrs Afuye added further that the collaboration with Lagos further buttressed the level of development the state has made in the country, thereby making it a “Centre of Excellence” in terms of delivery of good governance.
“In his determination to safeguard the lives and property of Ekiti people, while at the same time ensure a secured and conducive environment for their daily endeavours, Governor Oyebanji visited LASEMA to seek partnership with the state.
“This is in the spirit of regional integration existing in the Southwest states. It is also in acknowledgement of Lagos, living up to its name as the Centre of Excellence.
” Our Governor decided to seek the partnership so that Ekiti can learn from its expertise and mode of operations in the area of emergency prevention and management.
“I have seen your programme and itinerary of engagement as well as interactions with stakeholders, I appeal to your team to make this visit and partnership worthwhile for Ekiti State by putting us through all we are expected to know and do in disaster prevention and management”.
Mrs Afuye added that Ekiti might not have the stupendous funds that are available to Lagos, but promised that the government will put up the best structures that will guarantee robust disaster management that can safeguard the lives and property of the people.
In her submission, the team lead of the technical crew of LASEMA, Princess Tolani Martins, said the partnership will turn around disaster prevention and management between the two states when fully takes off.
She commended Governor Oyebanji for having the zeal for knowledge and good governance for Ekiti people, these she said were driving forces that propelled the governor to seek for the initiative.
The LASEMA boss added that it has conducted survey around government’s MDAS and other strategic strata, promising that robust report will soon be turned in that will guide the state in effective disaster management mechanism.
Martins averred further that each state can only make a headway in disaster management based on its peculiarities, saying that accounted for why the experts were brought into Ekiti for indepth survey that will help in mapping out the best strategy for Ekiti.