(Vanguard) The national leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, has visited the headquarters of the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA,
By Adesina Wahab
(Vanguard) The national leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, has visited the headquarters of the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, to ascertain the claim in some quarters that some food items have deliberately not been taken to some Akwa Ibom State for distribution.
The visit by the NANS team, led by the Senate President, Comrade Akinteye Afeez, was to clarify if there was truly a diversion of 42,000 metric tonnes of food, as being alleged.
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The team met with the Director General, Mrs. Zubaida Umar, who provided all the documents for the NANS team to peruse.
Speaking on the reason for the visit and the outcome, Afeez said it was their responsibility as student leaders to ensure that actions are rooted in facts and driven by a commitment to truth and justice.
“Therefore, in realization of this, I, Dist. Sen. Akinteye Babatunde Afeez, the President of the Senate, National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, Headquarters recently led a productive meeting with the Director-General of NEMA, where comprehensive explanations were made and documents presented that showed that the allegations were unfounded.
“Following our discussions, it became clear and evident that the claims of diversion were completely baseless. As such, the need for this public information and enlightenment becomes imperative.
“In all honesty and without mincing words, NEMA has demonstrated a commendable level of transparency and accountability in its operations. Having made rigorous investigations, we have been able to ascertain that the food items in question have been distributed to states as planned, with the DG herself, Mrs. Zubaida Umar actively involved in ensuring that these items reached their intended destinations.
“Indeed, during our truth finding meeting with the agency, we found out that all states have already received their allocations, with only Akwa Ibom experiencing a delay due to late payment for transportation costs.
“Nevertheless, this delay should not be misconstrued as an act of diversion or malfeasance on the part of NEMA.
“Furthermore, we must emphasize that the leadership of NANS is now fully aware of NEMA’s efforts, and we appreciate the agency’s dedication to its mandate.
“The DG’s personal involvement in the distribution process is an affirmation of her commitment to ensuring that all Nigerians, regardless of their location, receive the assistance they need.
“However, it is disheartening and rather unfortunate to see that certain individuals at the state levels may have been tampering with the items, thereby preventing the same from getting to all the vulnerable segments of the society. Our organization shall be beaming our searchlight on such condemnable acts wherever they occur.
“These unpatriotic elements are not acting in the best interests of the Nigerian people, and their actions are a disservice to the countless individuals who depend on NEMA’s support at a time like this in the history of our country.
“To this end, we unequivocally withdraw any threats of planned protests against NEMA that are based on unfounded allegations.
“Proceeding on any action without adequate fact findings would not only undermine the credibility of NANS as an organization that should stand for truth but also unnecessarily disrupt the vital work that NEMA is doing to support vulnerable populations across the country.
“Consequently, the meeting between the leadership of NANS and NEMA is a productive and progressive step towards ensuring that all and sundry continue to benefit from the laudable work of NEMA.
“Furthermore, we believe that the agency’s transparent and efficient handling of its responsibilities deserves to be commended and not criticized. The DG and her team have shown that they are more than capable of delivering on their mandate, and it is imperative that we, as students and future leaders, stand by them.
“Furthermore, our recent discussions with NEMA have opened up avenues for collaboration between the agency and NANS. We are committed to working together to develop programmes that will educate and sensitize students on disaster management and preparedness.
“This partnership would ensure the constructive roles that NANS can play in supporting government agencies and ensuring that they continue to serve the Nigerian people effectively.
“Conclusively, we reiterate that rather than protest against NEMA , we should all channel our energies toward supporting and collaborating with the agency to ensure that they can continue to deliver on their mandate.
NANS remains committed to the welfare of Nigerian students and the broader Nigerian populace.
“We will continue to engage with relevant stakeholders to ensure that our actions are always in the best interest of the people we serve.”
Culled from Vanguard
