Insure Your Buildings Against Disasters, NEMA Advises South East Homeowners

Posted by African Examiner Latest Headlines, News Wednesday, May 20th, 2015

From Ignatius Okpara, Abakaliki – South East Zonal Office of National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA has stressed the need for House owners in the region to insure their buildings against fire and other forms of disasters.

The NEMA coordinator in charge of the zone, Major James Eze, stated this Tuesday when he led other principal officers of the agency to Ebonyi state, for an assessment of recent disaster affected areas in parts of the state.

The team was also accompanied by officials of the Ebonyi State Emergency Management Agency.

Our Correspondent reports that the NEMA team, had during the joint assessments visited various disasters affected areas at Ezzamgbo community, and Abakaliki, the Ebonyi state capital.

The team was also at the Federal Government Girls College, Ezzamgbo where erosion menace constitutes environmental degradation within the school premises.

Addressing management of the school, the Zonal Coordinator, emphasised the need for schools in the state to imbibe the culture of proper environmental management with a view to checking disaster such as erosion.

Eze, added that proper management of the environment was necessary because of the impact of human induced disaster on the society when it occurs.

He said the “school should first and foremost play its own expected vital role in protecting and sustaining her environment by creating water ways within the school premises”.

The team was also at No.13 Awolowo Street Abakaliki, where over 20 people were rendered homeless and few others displaced, following a recent fire outbreak that gutted a 17-room residential building in that area.

The inferno, which was allegedly caused by power surge, destroyed properties valued several millions of naira, which includes, shops of different kinds and house old items.

Other items destroyed by the fire which was said to have started around 9.00 am are; refrigerators, electronics, furniture and other household properties.

Speaking to the Landlord and some occupants of the building, Major James Eze sympathized with them and advised on the use of fire extinguisher and insuring of buildings/properties with insurance company.

He stated that if there was a fire extinguisher, the extent of damage wouldn’t have been minimized.

The Zonal Coordinator and the team of assessors also visited Chief Igwe Liga compound were a 20-year-old girl, Miss Mercy Elom, was burnt to death by a mysterious fire that gutted 68 rooms in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital.

The fire, which they said started about 1am, occurred at the Chief Igwe Ligas compound at No.40, Igwe Liga Street, Mile 50, Abakaliki.