HISG Trains Residents of Jos, Nigeria
No fewer than 40 residents of Jos, Plateau State capital, have been trained on how to identify and manage crisis. The trainees received tutelage on how to recognise a man-made disaster before it occurs, and when it happens, how to respond quickly in order to reduce its magnitude and save lives and property.
Those trained were a mix of Christians and Muslims as well as representatives of non-governmental organisations (NGOs).
The four-day training programme was the second phase of the exercise, the first having taken place earlier. The programme, which took place in the state capital, Jos, was organised by a United States-based group, Humanitarian International Services Group (HISG) in conjunction with Global Relief, an NGO.
Organisers said it was aimed at building the capacity of participants for disaster response and reduction as well as strengthening and expanding networks for disaster management.
Speaking with Newsextra, the Executive Director of Global Relief, Mr. Akanimoh Peter said the training was to encourage the preparedness and response to emergencies, build peace and transform conflict situations so that people can live together peacefully.
According to him, the goals of HISG and Global Reliefs are to eradicate extreme poverty and protect people from the impact of disaster as well as build safer and sustainable communities.
He regretted the difficulties hindering prompt response to disasters, saying they include lack of awareness, bad government policy, lack of coordination as well as extreme poverty maintaining his organization and its partners would do all they can to reduce man-made disaster in the communities.
Peter disclosed the first phase of the training which saw the same number of participants bore good results as the trainees trained others in their communities and the persisting problems in the State were averted in some communities due to the collaborative efforts of the adherents of Christianity and Islamic religions.
The representative of HISG, David Bopp was optimistic the problems the nation is facing will come to an end if every trainee trains others and resolved to avert man-made disaster before it occurred.
Meanwhile, the participants were from the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Ja’amatu Nasril Islam (JNI) as well as some NGOs operating in the state.
Participants who spoke said they were better enlightened and equipped on how to identify man-made disaster and intervene on time.
Note: This article appears courtesy of The Nation, a Nigerian newspaper. It was written by Marie-Therese Peter and published on January 18, 2012. Visit The Nation online here: http://www.thenationonlineng.net
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