Environment
THE National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) on Thursday organised a stakeholders’ meeting to prepare them on fire mitigation and response.
In a speech at the meeting in Akure, the Director-General of the agency, Mr Mustapha Habib, said that available statistics showed that fire outbreaks, which lead to loss of lives and property, were more prevalent in Ondo State during dry seasons.
Habib, represented by the Head of Ekiti Operations Office, Mr Kadiri Olanrewaju, said that NEMA, as an emergency coordinating agency, was monitoring the state of preparedness of stakeholders and creating awareness on disaster management.
He said it was the duty of the agency to put up mechanism of preparedness against fire disaster, hence the stakeholders’ meeting.
“Let me at this juncture state that I am delighted that the representatives of farmers and market women associations are in attendance.
“These two associations are crucial to this meeting as most cases of fire are market fire, brush or farm fire.
“It is expected that the market women association would help us sensitise their members on the dangers of fire.
“All electrical appliances are to be switched off before leaving the market.
“Also, keeping of fuel and combustible materials inside the shops and warehouses should be discouraged, in order to avert fire disaster.
“If all the preventive mechanisms are followed assiduously, the incidence of fire that is prevalent during the dry season will be averted or drastically reduced,” Habib said.
He also advised market women to procure fire extinguishers and have them in their shops and warehouses in case of any fire.
The Secretary, Ondo State Emergency Management Agency, Mr Femi Obideyi, said the state was prepared for the coming dry season.
Obideyi said the agency had been training stakeholders on the necessary things to do to mitigate fire.
The Iyaloja of the state, Mrs Kemi Adedapo-Adesida, said the association had always held meetings to sensitise her members on measures to prevent fire. (NAN)
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-Nov. 30, 2023 @ 13:59 GMT |
Tags: Mr Femi Obideyi Mr Kadiri Olanrewaju Mr Mustapha Habib Mrs Kemi Adedapo-Adesida NEMA
