The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has noted with concern the recurrent fire incidents in the past few days, which have affected some communities and markets.
The Director General of NEMA Mustapha Ahmedin a statement in Abuja saidFire, like any other disaster has been part of human existence, but the frequency and impacts of this in recent weeks has necessitated a serious concern and call for action by all stakeholders including communities and individuals to address the rising losses from the disaster.
Alhaji Ahmed noted that In December last year, NEMA alerted the public on the dangers of fire disasters during the dry season.
‘’As with the onset of the dry season, the present onset of the rain season is also characterized by typical windstorms that easily propagate combustible matter in form of dry vegetation and agricultural wastes constitute a strong driver to fire outbreaks’’ He stated.
He said the best firefighting technique is prevention, stressing that the best way to prevent a fire was to create awareness and develop a culture of safety and resilience among authorities, communities and individual members of the public.
‘’All hands must to be on deck to reduce fire disasters and all associated human and material loses across Nigeria and beyond. Government agencies, corporate organizations, private businesses and individuals should endeavor to leverage on insurance companies to safeguard and protect their properties and businesses as a form of risk transfer in case of fire and other unforeseen disaster incidences.
The main goal of NEMA and its partners is to save lives and properties and no effort and resources committed is too much or too little in this regards’’.
Writing by Tersoo Zamber, editing by Daniel Adejo