Chinedum Treasure
Chairman of the Board of Keystone Bank Limited and Chairman of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, South East Zone, Lady (Dr.) Adaora Chukwudozie has called for a national shift from reacting to disasters to preventing and preparing for them.
Chukwudozie made the call at the 2026 International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction, organised by the Centre for Disaster Risk Management and Development Studies, University of Port Harcourt, in collaboration with the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).
Speaking on the theme, “Resilience Starts at Home,” the MAN boss said resilience must begin with the everyday choices made by families, communities, businesses and public institutions.
“We must move from relief to resilience, from reaction to prevention, and from sharing blame after disaster to sharing responsibility before it.
“Resilience requires investment. But disaster extracts a far greater price—by force, and often with interest,” she said.
Drawing from her experience as Chairman of MAN South-East during the 2022 flood disaster, Chukwudozie recalled the devastation at the Harbour Industrial Layout in Onitsha.
According to her, 19 manufacturing companies recorded approximately ₦11.48 billion in documented losses, including damage to machinery, raw materials, finished products and buildings.
“The true cost was not only in naira. It was in disrupted supply chains, anxious families, jobs at risk and businesses compelled to rebuild while still carrying financial obligations,” she decried.
The bank chair said the experience reinforced the need for practical preparedness before disasters occur, stressing that “disaster does not negotiate” and does not allow people the luxury of beginning preparations after it has struck.
She urged government to strengthen planning, drainage infrastructure, urban discipline, building standards, early-warning systems and enforcement.
“Universities should deepen research and training in risk management; businesses to embed safety and continuity planning in decision-making; the media should communicate risk before tragedy; while community leaders drive behavioural change at the grassroots,” she added.
While commending NEMA and other emergency responders for their service, Chukwudozie cautioned that relief alone could not be Nigeria’s principal disaster-management strategy.
She also challenged participants to leave the event with at least one practical commitment: a family emergency plan, a workplace drill, a cleared drainage channel, or a meaningful conversation on preparedness within their communities.
She praised UNIPORT, Centre for Disaster Risk Management and Development Studies, NEMA, Risk Managers Society of Nigeria (RIMSON) and other partners for sustaining the national conversation on disaster-risk reduction.
About Author
