By Amos Aar
THE BENUE State Government on Monday launched the Benue Electronic Emergency Management System (BEEMS) to manage security and improve emergency response.
Unveiling the digital platform, Governor Hyacinth Alia, represented by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Barr Deborah Aber, while acknowledging the persistent security challenges confronting the state, noted that BEEMS was part of efforts to deploy modern technology in enhancing the protection of lives and property.
He reiterated his administration’s resolve to fully implement its seven-point development agenda, with particular focus on safety, welfare, and improved governance.
The SSG described BEEMS as a timely intervention, urging citizens to engage with the system responsibly to ensure those in distress receive help promptly. According to her, the platform “will go a long way in complementing government efforts and fostering stronger collaboration with the public”.
Aber also hailed Governor Alia as a pioneer, being the first leader in the country to initiate a sub-national digital emergency management platform, and expressed confidence in its potential to strengthen the state’s response to insecurity.
Earlier in his address, Dr. James Iorapuu, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Humanitarian and Disaster Management, described BEEMS as a milestone that positions Benue as a pacesetter in Nigeria’s digital emergency response landscape. He said the platform would enhance transparency, speed, and coordination in crisis situations, marking a shift towards a smarter governance model.
Chairman of the Benue State House of Assembly Committee on ICT, Hon. Kennedy Angbo, commended the launch, saying: “Now that the platform has been launched, when a community is under attack, it will be very easy to blow the whistle. Soon, the e-policing and other modern security measures will be introduced. We must learn to retain data and institutional memory. This is because over the years, whenever we engage consultants in the ICT sector, they go away with valuable data when their contracts end.”
Also speaking, Mr. Terwase Gbande, Managing Director of the Benue State Digital Infrastructure Company (BDIC), lauded SEMA for embracing the innovation. He explained that the digital system allows real-time communication from anywhere in the world, helping to eliminate misinformation and improve the timeliness of interventions.
In her goodwill message, the Executive Secretary of the Benue State Primary Healthcare Board, Mrs. Ashi Wende, expressed the board’s readiness to collaborate with BEEMS for wider outreach, particularly to vulnerable groups. She called for synergy among relevant agencies, especially in responding to the needs of internally displaced persons (IDPs), and assured of her board’s full cooperation.
