By Miriam Humbe
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and other emergency response stakeholders have continued coordinated operations at the site of the fire disaster involving the Great Nigeria Insurance House building at Marina, Lagos Island.
The Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, today paid an official visit to the incident site and reaffirmed the commitment of the State Government to work closely with the Federal Government and relevant organisations to ensure the safe and successful completion of the rescue and recovery efforts.
Governor Sanwo-Olu, who was conducted round the disaster area by operational leads, commended NEMA and other responding agencies for their professionalism and dedication since the onset of the incident.
He observed that the structural condition of the distressed high-rise building requires extreme caution to safeguard the lives of responders.
He further disclosed that arrangements are being finalised to mobilise specialised resources for the controlled demolition of the weakened structure, followed by the safe clearance of accumulated debris.
The Governor commended the responders for establishing a Help Desk close to the site to provide credible information to the public and offer necessary support to persons affected by the disaster.
The desk is being manned by NEMA, LASEMA, the Local Emergency Management Committee, among others.
It will be recalled that the Director General of NEMA, Mrs. Zubaida Umar, had earlier deployed the Agency’s Director of Search and Rescue, Air Commodore Bature Usman, to lead a technical support team from NEMA Headquarters to Lagos.
The team is working closely with the NEMA Lagos Operations Office and other stakeholders to strengthen coordination, enhance situational assessment, and ensure the safety of all emergency personnel and the public.
NEMA remains committed to supporting the people and Government of Lagos State throughout the response and recovery phase of this unfortunate incident.
