ASSESSMENT OF INSTITUTIONAL CAPACITY FOR MANAGING FIRE DISASTER IN NIGER STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

ABSTRACT Fire disaster is one of the most drastic disasters known to man. It’s wide and fast spread especially in populated areas and ability to consume everything reaffirms the severity of the aftermath of fire incidences. The study is majorly concentrated on the appraisal of existing institutional capacity in Niger state with a view to making recommendation for effective management of fire disasters in the state, in other to achieve this aim here are the objectives; to evaluate the experience(s) of fire disaster in Niger State, assess the capacity of the institutions for managing fire disaster in Niger State and examine the capacity building effort, and proffer strategies for improvement. The methodology used for this research work is primary and secondary source of data collection, where three agencies were sampled out of six that was identified for the study. The sampled agencies are Niger State Emergency Management Agency, Niger State Fire Service and Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps. Ninety-six (96) questionnaires were distributed to the disaster mangers that the study identified. The study reveals that majority of the staff were transferred from different department and/or ministry into the disaster agency. The fire service was the only agency that employed the bulk of its field officer directly. Also inadequate fire safety equipment, man-power and appropriate funding of the agency responsible for fire disaster are a serious problem affecting the performance of the agency. The study now recommends that; the first is to ensure that the political leadership is aware of the need for continuous institutional capacity building for disaster managers and sustainable human development. The second is to empower the people so that they, too, are aware of its importance, are vigilant and expose capacity gaps and insist on continuous institutional capacity building.