Let’s move from disaster relief to prevention – MAN

Lady Adaora Chukwudozie, Chairman of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria's South East Zone and Keystone Bank Limited, has urged a nationwide shift from disaster response to prevention and preparation. At the 2026 'International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction' in Port Harcourt, she emphasized that resilience must begin with everyday choices made by families, communities, businesses, and public institutions.

Chukwudozie, who witnessed the 2022 flood disaster's devastation, highlighted the financial and social costs of disaster, including supply chain disruption, job loss, and rebuilding obligations. She urged government to strengthen planning, drainage infrastructure, urban planning, building standards, and early-warning systems. Chukwudozie also called for universities to enhance research and training in risk management, businesses to integrate safety and continuity planning, the media to communicate risks before disasters, and community leaders to foster behavioral change.

Dr. Abbas Idriss, President of the Risk Managers Society of Nigeria, echoed the call for a shift from reaction to prevention, emphasizing the need for sustainable, risk-informed development. Both speakers stressed that relief efforts alone cannot be Nigeria's primary disaster management strategy.