No fewer than 12 persons lost their lives, while 1,793 others were affected by floods, building collapses and fire outbreaks in the Federal Capital Territory in the outgoing year of 2023.
Acting Director, FCT Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Mohammed Sabo, made this disclosure during an end of year media briefing in Abuja.
Sabo, however stated that the Agency was able to rescue 1, 373 lives from flood disasters, 247 from fire outbreaks and 173 lives from building collapse.
According to him, the rescue efforts were recorded following distress calls on its 24-hour 112 toll free line.
He revealed that, the humanitarian activities impacted about 400 vulnerable residents of the Federal Capital Territory.
Sabo said that FEMA was on hand to support about 200 households displaced by torrential rainfall in Yangoji-Shafi community of Kwali Area Council within the same period; adding that the Agency also assisted those whose 25 farmlands were destroyed.
The Director said that FEMA in collaboration with a Turkish Foundation, UFUK dialogue distributed various food items to another 200 vulnerable households to enable them celebrate the Eid el Kabir.
Under the National Economic Livelihood Emergency Intervention,(SNELEI), FEMA in collaboration with NEMA and the Agricultural and Rural Development Secretariat, distributed food and non food items to 8,403 communities across the six Area Councils of the FCT.
He further revealed that the Agency would partner with the National Defence College,(NDC) on the training of volunteers, next year.
His words: “We have had useful Communications with the NDC to this effect and we are awaiting for a final response from them. The training is to equip our volunteers with basic and professional rescue skills.”
“We also intend to organize a blood drive for the military, using our volunteers. The aim of the blood drive is to show support and solidarity for their efforts at keeping the nation safe,” he said.
“We are intensifying our sensitization campaign on safety measures during the rainy and dry seasons. Our rainy season campaign will focus on sensitizing residents on what to do before the rains, during the rains and after the rains. The spill over of this year’s operation eagle eye and dry season campaigns will be carried out in 2024,” Sabo added.