Fire disaster: NEMA advocates insurance law for traders

The National Emergency Management Agency, (NEMA) on Wednesday advocated for a law that would compel Nigerian traders to insure their goods against disaster.

South-East Zonal Director of NEMA, Major James Eze, who made the call while briefing newsmen on the activities of the agency in the zone last year, said compulsory insurance policy for traders
would reduce the burden on government when disasters occur.

He advised traders to ensure that they insured their goods against disasters because government might not have the financial muscle to
take care of all disaster victims in the country.

He said “People should ensure their properties in case of fire

disaster because government cannot have all the money to help everybody. Government should enact an edict that traders in markets should insure their goods so that when disasters occur, they will be compensated”.

He expressed dismay over the poor funding of State Emergency Management Agencies, in the zone,
revealing that some States could only boast of one operational vehicle.

Eze also appealed to traders and other Nigerian citizens to ensure that they kept fire extinguishers in their shops and homes, expressing
dismay that people prefer to spent money on entertainment.

On the achievement of the agency in the zone in 2014, he disclosed that NEMA organized workshops on Comprehensive Disaster management and
2014 Flood Prevention, Mitigation and Preparedness; Bomb Explosion, Mass Evacuation, among others.