By Okiki Adeduyite
The Federal Government has said it would engage state governors and emergency response agencies to finalise plans for the nationwide adoption of 112 as Nigeria’s single emergency telephone number.
The move was disclosed in a statement released on Thursday by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications (Office of the Vice President), Stanley Nkwocha.
The statement followed a meeting between a delegation from the Nigerian Communications Commission, led by the Chairman of its Governing Board, Chief Idris Ibikunle Olorunnimbe, and the Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, at the Presidential Villa on Tuesday.
It said the engagement came days after the National Economic Council, chaired by the Vice President, approved the adoption of 112 as the national emergency number across all levels of government and relevant agencies, as part of measures to build a unified national emergency response system.
At the meeting, Shettima directed the NCC to develop a roadmap for implementing the initiative and to work with the National Emergency Management Agency to strengthen coordination of emergency response nationwide.
“He assured the delegation that the project would be sustained, noting that the required funding would be mobilised through the National Economic Council and the private sector.
“The Vice President also called for high-level engagement and commitment from emergency responders to drive the successful implementation of the 112 initiative,” the statement read.
Earlier, Olorunnimbe said the NCC had established about 35 Emergency Communications Centres across the country and called for greater support from state governments and emergency agencies to keep the facilities operational.
He said governors, the Nigeria Police Force, ambulance services and NEMA must work together to ensure people in distress receive prompt assistance.
“Everyone is expected to buy into this initiative and recognise its importance. It is a patriotic duty to our country to ensure that anyone in distress can get the help they need in a very swift manner,” he added.
