NEMA advocates compulsory insurance legislation for traders

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), on Monday called for the enactment of an enabling law that will make insurance compulsory for Nigerian traders and any one doing business in the nation’s markets.

Muhammed Kari, Commissioner for Insurance

Such legislation if put in place, the agency said, would go a long way in lessening the huge financial burden being faced by the agency in rehabilitating markets fire disaster victims in the south east region, and Nigeria in general.

Outgoing South- east Zonal Coordinator of NEMA, Major James Eze, made the suggestion in Enugu while reviewing activities of the agency in the zone in 2015, as well as its proposed programmes for 2016.

Eze, insisted that the insurance issue should be taken seriously against the backdrop of incessant fire outbreaks in states of south east zone over the years, which had thrown victims into serious economic hardship.

According to him, “if traders insured their wares in the market with insurance firms, they will be entitled to claims in the event of fire disaster, provided they pay their premium”.

He said South east zone which comprises Enugu, Ebonyi, and Anambra states, had its own share of natural and human instigated disasters during the year under review, even as he urged state governments in the zone to strengthen their respective state Emergency Management Agencies (SEMAs) for optimal performance.

The Zonal Coordinator hinted that the agency “responded to these disasters promptly and undertook disaster risk reduction measures to mitigate the impacts”

He added that NEMA also embarked on relief interventions in 13 communities in Anambra state, while Enugu and Ebonyi communities received seven each.

The zone in 2015, equally packaged several workshops/trainings on pre post-election /non-violence, flood, erosion control, efficient waste management and increased flood awareness campaigns for various stakeholders in disaster handling.

It also carried out (simulation on market fire) in various markets in the zone, just as the agency trained men of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) on how to use certain equipment for the rescue of accident victims.