The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) will partner with the Nigerian Red Cross Society (NRSC) to develop its staff disaster management capacity.
The Group Managing Director of the corporation, Dr Maikanti Baru disclosed this in a statement by Mr Ndu Nghamadu, the corporation’s spokesman, in Abuja on Monday.
Baru, who spoke while receiving the Secretary General of the NRCS, Mr Abubakar Kende, described NRCS’s work as very crucial to human existence and survival.
He added that partnership with the society would help tremendously in managing disasters and emergency situations across the country.
“Because disasters usually come unannounced, the best one could do to manage them is to remain ever prepared through consistent trainings and capacity development,” he said.
The GMD further noted that as an organisation dealing with highly inflammable hydrocarbons, the NNPC considered safety and disaster management very seriously.
“Therefore, as a corporation, we will consider partnering with you in your capacity development programmes so as to empower our personnel on the best ways to manage natural disasters and emergency situations,” Baru said.
He added that NNPC had trained many of its staff on road safety through the Federal Road Safety Corps’ Special Marshall Programme, with many of them becoming fully certified Special Road Marshalls.
He also assured the Society that NNPC’s doors would always be open towards future collaborations towards managing disasters and averting emergency situations throughout the country.
Earlier, Kende, said that trainings of any kind empowers people to handle critical emergency situations and save lives.
He said given the continued existence of conflict situations and natural disasters in Nigeria, there was the need for more collaboration between the society and other organisations across the country.
“Over the years, our vast network of volunteers has lifted millions of Nigerians out of dire situations caused by natural and man-made disasters,” he said.
Kende explained that in 2017 alone, the society responded to 142 serious emergencies in 24 states, and evacuated over 12,000 casualties.
The NRCS provides humanitarian services to the most vulnerable groups in the country through its healthcare and disaster management programmes.
