The vice president and minister of Women's Affairs, Her Excellency Aja Dr. Isatou Njie-Saidy last Friday received in audience, members of the NigeriaEmergency Management Agency (NEMA) in her office atState House in Banjul.

The team was led to VP’s office by the executive director of National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA), Essa Khan. The visiting NEMA delegates were in the country for a two-day working visit to the NDMA, with a view to strengthening South-South cooperationas well as the sub-regional solidarity on disaster risk reduction.

The delegates were at State House to brief the vice president, who is also the chairperson of the National Disaster Governing Council about their return visit to the country, aimed at reciprocating a visit made by the NDMA in 2011, and also to strengthen the bilateral ties between the two agencies in the area of disaster risk reduction.

Speaking to reporters shortly after having audience with the vice president, Muhammad Sani Sidi, director general of NEMA, affirmed that the purpose of their visit is to strengthen the bilateral cooperation between the two agencies in a bid to attain disaster risk reduction.

Dilating on the key areas of collaboration with the NDMA, he disclosed that NEMA would assist the NDMA in terms of technical support such as capacity building, disaster risk reduction as well as integrated emergency management, among others. “Nigeria is ready and willing to provide the necessary technical support to the NDMA and its stakeholders to undertake courses in the six centers for disaster risk reduction and development studies,” he stated.

The NEMA boss further laid emphasis on capacity building as their main area of cooperation especially when the NDMA visited them in Nigeria last year. He disclosed that NEMA is sending two of their senior staff to work with NDMA in the area of capacity building. He said that NEMA would be inviting the NDMA and its stakeholders to participate in various capacity building programmes and simulation exercises in Nigeria.

He further disclosed that during the NDMA’s visit to Nigeria, the two agencies signed an MoU aimed at enhancing cooperation on emergency preparedness, response and mitigation. He finally commended the NDMA for laying a solid foundation in terms of disaster risk reduction strategy.

Obafemi Awolowo University

The Alumni Association of the Obafemi Awolowo University, which is widely called Great IFE, last Friday met the vice president and minister of Women's Affairs, Her Excellency Aja Dr. Isatou Njie-Saidy, at State House.

The association was led to the State House by the vice chancellor of the University of The Gambia (UTG), Professor Muhammad O. Kah and his counterpart from Great IFE, Professor Bamitale Omole, vice chancellor of the Obafemi Awolowo University, and their visit was meant to enlighten the vice president about their intention to launch the Alumni Association at the UTG.

In an interview with journalists shortly after having audience with the vice president, Professor Bamitale Omole confirmed that they are in the country to launch the Great IFE’s first Alumni chapter in Africa. He further disclosed that his university has recently turned 50 years and that they chose The Gambia because they wanted to link their efforts to the great strive the country made in the area of education.

“We have seen how much investment the president of the Republic has put into the university and how much encouragement he made in the area of education,” he said. He added that they have chosen The Gambia because of the culture the two countries share in common, while maintaining that it would help to deepen the cordial relations between the two universities.

Further speaking on the area of collaboration, VC Omole intimated that his university would look into the area of what they can do to change the faculty of the UTG in higher degrees, among a host of others and also to explore other areas where the UTG would need assistance.

He said that during their stay in the country, they were given the opportunity by the vice chancellor of the UTG to visit many faculties at the UTG; such as the Faculty of Law, among others. Professor Omole added that his university would also have a meeting with the UTG, with a view to signing an MoU and specify actual areas of collaboration. “Don't forget that the University of The Gambia is young but we can learn a lot from them,” he said.

He finally commended Professor Kah for initiating such bold step, while assuring that his university is ready to give assistance to the UTG in all areas including training.