By Stanley Onyekwere
As part its proactive measures to reduce hazards associated with the dry season on Abuja, the nation’s capital city, the FCT Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), has taken its campaign on mitigating dry season fires to the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC).
A statement from FEMA’s Head of Public Affairs, Nkechi Isa said the sensitisation team led by the agency’s Director of Forecasting, Response and Mitigation, Lady Florence Wenegieme, sensitised, the Chairman of the Council, Hon. Christopher Maikalangu, and members of his cabinet.
It stated that Wenegieme explained that sensitisation was critical to disaster management in AMAC and the FCT at large.
She said:” Between December and January, fire outbreaks usually occur in different locations in the FCT. We started the campaign in September after the rains.
“AMAC has representatives from different communities. We expect the council to take the message to wards and communities to create awareness..
Wenegieme added that the campaign would be carried to schools in the FCT.
She opined that market, plaza, residential, and filling station fires in the FCT were on the decline due to sensitisation campaigns.
She commended the Chairman, cabinet members, volunteers, local divers, and disaster marshals who turned up for the Sensitization exercise.
She therefore appealed to residents to equip their homes and business places with basic fire fighting equipment and ensure access in the event of a fire outbreak.
Responding, the AMAC Chairman, reiterated that disaster management was everybody’s business.
Represented by the Council’s Secretary, Hon. Jafaru Gwagwa, the Chairman assured that the sensitization campaigns would be taken to the grassroots.
Also, Maikalangu promised to support the Local Emergency Management Council (LEMC) in carrying out the dry season campaign across the council.
