NEMA gives relief materials to fire victims in Osun

Etim Effiong

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has distributed relief materials to victims of the December 2020 fire outbreak in Odo-Ogbo Market, Ile-Ife, Osun.

The NEMA Director-General, AVM Mohammed Mohammed (rtd.), described the fire outbreak as unfortunate and painful.

Mohammed was represented by Mr Segun Afolayan, NEMA Head of Operations for Ekiti, Ondo and Osun.

Speaking in Ile-Ife on Friday, he explained that the relief materials were donated by the Federal Government to ameliorate the effect of the fire outbreak on the affected victims.

According to him, NEMA would continue to partner the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) on disaster management.

He said: “Disaster management is necessary to ensure that lives and property of citizens are safe and secure.

“I charge the state and the local government to be more proactive through early warning system mechanisms.

“Public enlightenment and advocacy on Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) as well as insurance policy for the markets across the state is necessary, in order to forestall future occurrence.”

Mohammed urged market men and women to install fire extinguisher in their shops and always switch off electrical appliances after the closing hour to avoid electrical surge.

He also cautioned them against the use of combustible materials in the market.

In his remarks, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, stated that he was happy that the federal government responded to the yearnings of the victims of the fire disaster.

The Ooni, represented by Oba Idowu Adediwura, the Obalufe of Ife, appealed to market women and men to always be mindful of their environment to prevent reoccurrence of fire outbreak in the market.

Earlier, Mrs Susan Aromolaran, Council Manager, Ife Central Local Government Area, said the market was gutted by fire in December 2020, during which property worth millions of naira were destroyed.

Aromolaran commended the federal government for the good gesture and said it would go a long way in ameliorating the suffering of the affected persons.

The items donated included cement, planks, nails, roofing sheets and ceiling boards, among others.