FEMA seeks safety commission for FCT

This, the agency said, would mitigate loss of lives and property to incessant fire outbreaks and explosions from gas and fuel outlets in Abuja.

Director General of FEMA, Alhaji Abbas Idriss said the proposed commission will take charge of the responsibility of issuing operating licenses and effectively curb the proliferation of liquid (cooking) gas and petrol outlets in the FCT.

Idriss, however, warned that if such a commission was not established, FCT is going to have fires and explosions that are going to cause much havoc.

According to him: “We will continue to advocate for such sustainable intervention. We had a committee on incessant gas explosions in FCT, but that doesn’t mean that we are not taking action. Now, with the fire incident in three filling stations, we have revisited those actions, and we are awaiting for response from the FCT Minister. Definitely, something good is coming out. It is a concern that we can’t ignore, as it is part of our responsibility. We had even gone to some states to do some understudy, to see what they are doing.”

The FEMA boss said in 2022, the agency intervened in post-fire disasters in various parts of the FCT as well as responded to 10 fire incidents, including 3 filling station fires, where 16 lives were saved.