A Bill to amend the National Emergency Agency Act (Amendment) Bill has passed second reading in the House of Representatives.

Leading the debate on the Bill, Hon. Joseph Eghoghon Edionwele (PDP:Edo) stated that the Bill sought to amend the composition of the state emergency management committee otherwise referred to as ”The state committee” created by the provisions of section 8(1) and (2) of the principal Act to include all the local government areas of each state of the federation, According to him, the provisions of the principal Act had excluded representation for local government areas, making it impossible for the “State Committee” to efficiently and effectively discharge its functions prescribed under section 9 .

In addition, he stated that it was common knowledge for disaster occurrences like erosion, flooding, fire outbreaks, locust invasion, etc. to take place from time to time in rural areas. He was also of the view that the local government was better placed to timeously respond to disasters and other emergency situation occurring in rural areas, when compared to the state or federal government, being that it was the closest tier to the people .

In conclusion, he said the local government should have a representative in the state emergency management committee otherwise referred to as “state committee” under the Act, In order to enhance grass root participation in disaster management and operations in the event of a disaster.

The Bill has been referred to the Committee on Emergency and Disaster Management for further legislative input.