The Federal Capital Territory Emergency Management Agency, (FEMA), has urged the Federal Government to expand the scope and operators manning the 112 emergency toll free number to further reduce the response time.
In a statement in Abuja which was signed by the Public Relations Officer, Mrs Nkechi Isa which was made available to CAPITAL POST on Thursday said, the Director General of FEMA, Alhaji Abbas Idriss informed that 90% of distress calls come through the 112 number, noting that this often resulted in queues.
Lauding the recent launch of the 5G network by the government, he stressed that MDAs must digitize their systems to ensure the full take off of E-government.
According to the the DG, FEMA intends to deploy technology in tackling disaters particularly during flooding.
And in another development,FEMA has asked the Federal Road Safety Corps,(FRSC), to enforce the speed laws to reduce road crashes in the FCT.
In a statement in Abuja,the Director General of FEMA, Alhaji Abbas Idriss noted that road crashes have reached an alarming rate due to reckless driving by motorists.
He also appealed to the FRSC to enforce the laws on overloading and the wearing of seat belts.
According to the the DG, these laws are critical as they are meant to reduce casualties on our roads, “At a point where two people are supposed to die, ten die due to reckless driving, overloading and not wearing seat belts.
He also decried the absence of extinguishers in most vehicles, adding that even where there is one it is often expired.
Idriss informed that in 2021, FEMA saved 217 people from various road rescue operations, while 17 lives were fatally injured.
