The Executive Governor of Benue State, Rev. Fr. Dr. Hyacinth Iormem Alia, on Monday, officially launched the first sub-national electronic emergency management and response system at the Benue State Emergency Management Agency (BSEMA) headquarters in Makurdi.
Represented by the Secretary to the Benue State Government, Barr. Deborah Serumun Aber, the Governor expressed optimism that the platform will boost government activities in securing lives. She called on the people to apply it in gathering intelligence that will help nip insecurity in the bud and commended collaborating agencies for the innovative milestone.
The Governor’s representative cautioned social media users against misusing the platform, urging the public to employ it responsibly and ethically in ways that could save lives and improve the emergency response system across the state.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Humanitarian and Disaster Management, Dr. James Iorpuu, expressed gratitude to Governor Hyacinth Alia for his visionary leadership demonstrated in his commitment to fighting insecurity and attending to humanitarian challenges bedeviling the state.
Dr. Iorpuu said the platform was designed to secure space for people to confidentially report issues affecting the well-being of internally displaced persons and other emergencies in the state. He advised people of the state to submit their complaints and petitions anytime to the BSEMA website for swift response.
The Permanent Secretary also revealed that BSEMA, in collaboration with the Benue Digital Infrastructure Company (BDIC), has introduced drone technology to monitor and capture real-time emergency events. He urged the public to make use of the platform to report emergencies promptly and accurately.
Dr. Iorpuu further used the medium to remind the general public that Benue State is listed among high-risk areas for flooding in the coming months and advised residents in flood-prone areas to take personal precautions and relocate to safer grounds.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the House Standing Committee on ICT at the Benue State House of Assembly, Hon. Kennedy Angbo, said the initiative is a fulfillment of Governor Alia’s campaign promise to run an open-door administration. He maintained that the portal will help create awareness about emergency situations and is the easiest way to transform information at the right time.
The Head of Benue Digital Infrastructure Company BDIC, Mr. Terwase Gbande, explained that the newly deployed drones are capable of covering up to 150 kilometers and will be instrumental in surveying Internal Displaced Persons (IDP) camps and remote areas. He added that the portal is accessible from any location worldwide.
In her goodwill message, the Executive Secretary of the Benue State Primary Healthcare Board, Mrs. Grace Ashi Wende, said as the partner implementing programs at the various IDP camps, the eyes of the people were on them for scrutiny. She promised that they would be on their toes for ultimate performance.
