August 19 of every year is set aside globally as the World Humanitarian Day. It is indeed a very important day set aside to celebrate aid workers worldwide (people helping people). In Nigeria, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) coordinated several national and international organisations aid agencies and NGOs to celebrate the day in Abuja. The Centre for Crisis Communication (CCC) was represented at the event by the Executive Secretary, Air Commodore Yusuf Anas (Rtd). The 2015 World Humanitarian Day which was held in Nicon Luxury Hotels, Abuja attracted several dignitaries including the the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Nigeria, Mr Daouda Toure, United States Embassy and several others. As one of the special guests, the CCC Executive Secretary delivered a goodwill message at the event.
Text of Goodwill Message :
“I most warmly felicitate with the Director General National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Alhaji Muhammad Sani Sidi, Management and Staff on the special occasion of the celebration of 2015 World Humanitarian Day. It is indeed a very important day set aside globally to celebrate people helping other less fortunate people.
In a world beset by conflicts and calamities of varying proportions with resultant humanitarian crisis, brave aid workers moved by the bond of humanity often risk their own security and sometimes lose their lives in the determination to offer assistance to vulnerable people caught in crisis around the world. There are countless incidences where humanitarian workers are mortally injured, abducted or even killed for the simple reasons they care to assist the vulnerable people engulf in crisis. These courageous men and women are in most cases left unsung and their selfless, heroic acts remain unappreciated or taken for granted.
As our dear country Nigeria battles the different kinds of crisis across the nation, especially the challenge of the internally displaced persons (IDPs) has become a formidable one. Thousands of our citizens are currently dislocated from their homes and scattered across the country. In spite of the enormity of work and risk involved in coordinating and managing the welfare of the IDPs in the camps, humanitarian workers ably led by NEMA are daily braving the odds to provide succor to the distressed among us. I dare say that these humanitarian heroes represent the best of our humanity.
On behalf of the Centre for Crisis Communication ( a stakeholder in crisis management), let me once again salute NEMA and other organizations who provide humanitarian service delivery in Nigeria and other parts of the world on this special day. The world certainly needs more heroes like you. Congratulations.”
