A statement by the head of Public Relations Unit of the Agency, Nkechi Isa, in Abuja, on Tuesday, said the law has become obsolete and limits the enforcement powers of emergency agencies in carrying out their duties.
The statement quoted the Director-General of FEMA, Alhaji Abbas Idriss, as emphasising that the law must be reviewed for public safety. “Is there any law that empowers the firemen to vet a building from the beginning of the construction to the end? They are supposed to be there from inception,” he said.Idriss noted that in the FCT, emergency agencies rely on the Urban and Regional Planning Act to carry out enforcement.
He disclosed that at least an average of five fire incident are recorded daily in the FCT, noting that the rate was high. According to the DG, most of the fires were avoidable and could be traced to carelessness or willful acts.