ABUJA – The Federal Capital Territory Administration Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has urged residents to take extra care to avoid fire outbreak during the yuletide season.
Alhaji Abbas Idriss, Director of FEMA, gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Tuesday.
Idriss advised the residents to avoid bush burning and out-door cooking during the harmattan season as a way of preventing fire outbreaks.
“’You know this is the harmattan season, it is also the holiday period where people engage in a lot of outdoor cooking.
“We are sensitising residents, especially those in the rural areas on the disadvantages of bush burning and out-door cooking as a way of preventing fire outbreak during this season.
“Bush burning has resulted into loss of public facilities in the FCT in the past and we want right thinking residents to collaborate with FEMA to stop the phenomenon,’’ he said.
The director said the Fire Service Division of FEMA was able to save 435 lives and property worth N3.71 billion between January and October, this year.
He explained that FEMA also succeeded in ameliorating the pains of residents affected by disasters such as flood, communal clashes and windstorms, among others, through donation of relief materials.
On Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) from parts of the North-East of Nigeria affected by insurgency, Idriss said the FCT administration and some donor agencies were collaborating to make them comfortable.
“Though, we are trying our best to make the IDPs comfortable, it is our desire that peace is restored, so that they can return to their homes.
“No matter the relief you distribute to the IDPs, it cannot be compared to the comfort of their homes,’’ he said.
The director wished the FCT residents a safe and happy holidays, and enjoined them to remain safety conscious. (NAN)
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