By Daniel Tyokua
The Federal Capital Territory Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has said it will soon begin arrest and prosecution of Abuja residents who are responsible for any form of disaster in the territory.
Acting director general of FEMA, Ibrahim Sabo, who disclosed this during an interactive session with some journalists on Tuesday, said anyone responding for disaster such as fire, flood or building collapse would no longer go scot-free.
Sabo revealed that with the support of the administration, the agency had been able to save 2,864 lives in various flood disasters in the FCT since this year, while 1,842 lives were equally saved in fire incidents, just as 174 lives were rescued during building collapse within the same period.
He added that the agency also saved property worth N99.3 million within the same period, while eight lives were, however, lost to both building collapse and flooding in the same period under review.
The acting director general said the agency has embarked on aggressive sensitisation of FCT residents on flood and fire and flood disasters in the territory, adding that the sensitisation exercise has reduced the number of distress call received by the agency.
Sabo said response period by the agency for distress calls in any part of FCT is now three minutes, as against five minutes period, adding that FEMA has strengthen its relationship with other sister agencies, such as the development control department, the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) and others to reduce disasters in the territory.
He continued, “We have also been able to strengthen the capacity of our staff and equally trained our volunteers, vanguards, town criers and divers, who are the first respondents during emergencies.'”
The director general, however, advised residents to strictly adhere early warnings and take it very serious, while individuals should take insurance of themselves against disasters, such as fire and flooding, also adhering to building code on the construction of buildings.
