…..FEMA saves 1,793 lives, properties worth N90m in 2023
The Federal Capital Territory Emergency Management Agency (FCT – FEMA), says it rescued 1,793 people and saved about N90 million worth of properties from various disasters in 2023.
The acting Director-General (DG), FEMA, Mr Ibrahim Sabo, disclosed this during the agency’s end-of-year media interactive session, in Abuja on Wednesday.
Sabo identified the major disasters as flood, fire incidents and building collapses recorded from 24 calls through FEMA’s emergency toll-free number – 112.
He, however, said that 12 lives were lost to disasters: four from floods, six from building collapse, and two to fire outbreaks.
Of the 1,793 lives saved, Sabo said that 1,373 were rescued from various flood disasters, 173 from five building collapses, and 247 from fire outbreaks.
“Also, as at October, we were able to save N90 million worth of properties across all types of disasters within the FCT.
“We equally provided humanitarian aid that impacted 400 households in the FCT within the year under review,” he said.
The FEMA boss further said the agency in collaboration with its partners has distributed food and non-food items to 8,403 beneficiaries across the six Area Councils of the FCT.
He listed the partners to include the National Economic Livelihood Emergency Intervention, the National Emergency Management Agency, and the Agricultural and Rural Development Secretariat, FCT Administration.
He added that some of the food items included rice; beans, maize, cassava flakes (garri), guinea corn, groundnut oil and seasoning as well as yam, rice and maize seedlings.
The non-food items according to Soba were mattresses, blankets, mosquito nets, stoves, buckets, cooking pots, grinding and sewing machines.