Oyo State Emergency Management Agency (OYSEMA) was an offshoot of National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) which was established in March 1999 by Act 12 of 1999 as amended by Act 50 of 1999. It was this same Act that established all the State Emergency Management Agencies (at the State levels and Local Emergency Management Committees (LEMCs) at the Local Government Areas. The Agency was formally under the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters code-named State Emergency Relief Agency (SERA) until late year 2004 when it was transferred to the Office of the Executive Governor with the name State Emergency Management Agency to reflect the paradigm shift from mere distribution of relief materials to an all encompassing disaster risks reduction Agency. Since then, the Agency used to be a unit in the Cabinet and Security department before the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and other stakeholders advised that the Agency should be autonomous. In yielding to this, His Excellency, Otunba Christopher Adebayo Alao-Akala approved in July 2006 that the Agency should be fully autonomous with the Secretary as the head of the Agency who reports directly to His Excellency, the Deputy Governor, Alhaji (Hon.) Taofeek Oladejo Arapaja as the Chairman.  The Law establishing the Agency was finally passed by the House of Assembly and signed by His Excellency, Otunba Christopher  Adebayo Alao-Akala on 2nd January, 2009.

VISION

Towards Disaster Risk Reduction in Oyo State

MISSION STATEMENT

Mobilise Resources Towards Efficient and Effective Disaster Risk Reduction in Oyo State.

FUNCTIONS:  The functions of the Agency, among others, are to:

Formulate policy on all activities relating to disaster management in Oyo State and coordinating the plans and programmes of other stakeholders for efficient and effective response to disaster at the State level;

Co-ordinate and promote research activities relating to disaster management at the State level;

Monitor the state of preparedness of all organizations or agencies which may contribute to Disaster management in the State;

Educate and inform the public on disaster prevention and control measures;

Distribute emergencies relief materials to victims of natural or other disasters and assist in the rehabilitation of the victims where necessary; etc

RELIEF PACKAGES

The Agency has been distributing relief items to victims of natural and man-induced disasters in the State. It noteworthy that the National Emergency Management Agency at times do come to the assistance of the Agency whenever a disaster of higher magnitude occured. Besides this, the government of Oyo State has been promptly responding to the management of disasters in the State. These include:

Procurement and distribution of 239 bundles of Iron Sheets worth N2.5m to the Survivors of Itesiwaju Rainstorm;

Political violence has also been identified to be one of the vulnerable areas of disaster in the State. The Agency has spread its largesse to the benefit, of some political violence victims in the State by bankrolling their hospital bills;

Cash relief assistance worth N2.5m to the Survivors of fire disaster at  Agbeni Market in November, 2007;

Survivors of flood disaster in Atiba Local Government were in 2007 given various relief items to rehabilitate them. Such included clothing and food items;

The survivors of fire disaster in Olosun Village, Akinyele Local Government were given financial assistance worth N900,000.00 and various relief items such as roofing sheets, mattresses, blankets, clothing, etc;

Four major survivors of fire disaster at Apake Saw-Mill, Ogbomoso benefited from the relief assistance of the State Government through cash assistance of one million naira (N1m) to jump-start their business while others were given relief materials such as Iron roofing sheets and sundry items;

The survivors of rainstorm disaster that ravaged Ibadan South-East and South-West Local Governments on 6th March, 2008 were given substantial relief materials especially corrugated iron roofing sheets and bags of nails worth forty million (N40m) naira;

On Thursday 22nd May, 2008, the survivors of rainstorm disaster that ravaged various communities in Irawo Owode, Baasi, Ofiki, Owo and Ago-Are in Atisbo Local Government were duly compensated with relief materials;

The State Government assisted a Survivor of kerosene explosion, which occurred in March, 2008 by offsetting part payment of her hospital bill;

The State Government continues to provide relief materials on daily basis to individual survivors of disasters throughout the State;

Release of the sum of N500,000.00 to the Survivor of a flood that ravaged a farm at Muslim area of Ibadan in September, 2008;

Conduct of sensitization campaign on early warning on flood disaster in risk zones within the State in April, 2008;

All the 33 LGAs Local Emergency Management Committees were stockpiled with relief materials to attend emergency cases within their jurisdiction on request;

Besides all these, His Excellency, Otunba Christopher Adebayo Alao-Akala has advanced certain amount of money from the Agency's approved budget to be domiciled in the Agency's account on quarterly basis to attend to unexpected and unimaginable occurrences that do not require the administrative bureaucracy;

The Agency distributed relief materials to the Survivors of rainstorm disaster to the people of Ilora, Afijio Local Government in April, 2009;

Relief materials were distributed in May, 2009 to the people in Iresaadu and Oko, Surulere Local Government after the communities were ravaged with rainstorm disaster;

The Agency distributed relief materials to the Survivors of rainstorm disaster in Ibadan North-East Local Government on Thursday 14th May, 2009;

Several individuals continue to receive relief materials on daily basis from the Agency.

CAPACITY BUILDING/PROACTIVE ACTIVITIES

His Excellency, Otunba Christopher Adebayo Alao-Akala believes so much in the development of human capital hence the giant strides towards exposing the Agency and other stakeholders in disaster management to various workshops and seminars.

The Agency has organized a workshop on Information Management for disaster prevention and response for Information Officers and media organizations in the State in April, 2008;

A TOT workshop was also organized by the Agency for the Local inspectors of Education (LIEs) from 11th-13th February, 2008 towards carrying the message of disaster management to the Schools;

OYSEMA successfully organized a workshop on Peace Building and conflict management for the people of Igangan in Ibarapa  North Local Government from 12th-13th November, 2008;

A workshop for Fulani Bororo Herdsmen and indigenous farmers in Savannah areas of Oyo State towards “Peace building in Oyo State” was held at the Legislative Chambers, Saki West Local Government Headquarters on 26th February, 2009. The aim was to educate the Fulani Bororos and farmers on the need to live harmoniously;

The Agency collaborated with NEMA and NICON Insurance to organize a sensitization for Ibadan Market men and women on the need to partner with Insurance firms and insure their wares so as to reduce risks and losses in case of disasters. The programme took place on February 24, 2009 at Bola Ige International Market;

A 2-Day refresher workshop titled “Enhancing the Efficiency and Skills of Town Planning Officers Towards Disaster Risks Reduction in Oyo State, from 18-20th March, 2009 was organized by the Agency. The aim was to incorporate Urban and Regional Planning practices into Disaster Management;

The Agency's officials had at different times been sponsored to various workshops and seminars in an attempt to enhance staff capacity building;

The Agency has a good harmonious working relationship with UNICEF, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and other stakeholders;

The OYSEMA holds periodically the stakeholders' meeting comprising  Security Agencies, NGOs and others.

EFFORTS TOWARDS REDUCING DISASTER RISKS AND HAZARDS IN THE STATE

The Agency has evolved strategic plans, policies and structures for disaster preparedness, prevention, mitigation and recovery in the State. These include:

• Preparation of Annual Action Plan for disaster management
• Periodical meetings with stakeholders;
• Establishment of the State Emergency Preparedness and Response Team (EPRT);
• School  Emergency Response Team (SERT);
• Community Emergency Response Team (CERT);
• Inauguration of Local Emergency Management Committees (LEMCs) across the 33 LGAs;
• Continued awareness Campaign/Media Jingles on Radio and Television Stations and distribution of pamphlets, handbills, posters, etc,  on disaster related issues;
• Training and capacity building for disaster Managers and Stakeholders;
• Provision of Relief materials to disaster survivors in the State;
• Setting machinery in motion for Vulnerability and Capacity Analysis (VCA);
• Approval to collaborate with major stakeholders and partners within and outside the State;
• The Agency's Warehouse has been completed and ready for commissioning.

Constraints: The Agency lacks rescue equipment such as Search and Rescue Tap, Camera, Heavy Duty Towing Vehicle, First Aids materials, Ambulances and Vehicles.

The Agency would require adequate Public Private Partnership (PPP) and collaboration from Nigerians and International bodies to effectively manage disaster in the State since government alone can not single-handedly do it.