Disasters: FEMA Takes Dry Season Sensitisation Campaign To The Streets

By Philip Yatai

The Federal Capital Territory Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), on Monday, took its dry season sensitisation campaign to the streets of Abaji, the headquarters of Abaji Area Council of the FCT.

Mrs Florence Wenegieme, Director, Forecasting, Response and Mitigation, FEMA, who led the campaign, said that the goal was to ensure zero loss of lives and properties to dry season related disasters.

Wenegieme explained that the sensitisation campaign, which would cover the six area councils of the territory, was to avert common disasters throughout the dry season.

The director, who took the team around the streets of Abaji, explained that the measure was to ensure that people were aware of human induced dry season disasters and how to prevent them.

She advised residents against behaviours and practices that could cause fire disasters and other forms of disasters, particularly bush burning and the sales of petroleum and products in undesignated places.

She also identified other dangerous behaviours as scooping of petroleum products during accidents involving petroleum tankers and storage of petroleum products in homes or car trunks.

Other disaster-induced practices, she said, included the sales of petroleum products under high tension electric wires, and not switching off electrical appliances when leaving the house.

The director urged community members to be their brothers’ keeper during emergencies, by reaching out to the aged, persons with disabilities and other vulnerable groups.

Earlier, the acting Director-General of the agency, Mr Mohammed Sabo, stressed the need for an active Local Emergency Committee (LEC) to improve disaster management at the grassroots levels.

Sabo explained that LEC was a critical component of disaster management that ensures prompt response in cases of emergency.

He added that the committee is expected to operate at the Area Council’s level to meet the emergency needs of people in communities.

“The LEC is the coordinating body for emergency management in the area councils and should have the capacity to respond to disasters promptly.

“I also enjoin community members to strictly adhere to the warnings on fire disasters, which are predominant during the dry season,” he said.

On his part, the Council Secretary, Mr Agaba Agumuguo, assured the FEMA boss that the LEC would be set up, trained, and inaugurated to begin operation.

Agumuguo, who spoke on behalf of the Council Chairman, Mr Abdullahi Abubakar, noted that having the committee in place and functional is critical to safeguarding the lives and properties of the people of Abaji. (NAN)

Edited by Rotimi Ijikanmi