‘New Federal Fire Authorities Have Repositioned to Reduce Disaster’

In its efforts to curb fire incidents in the country, a Coalition of Civil Societies and Media Executives for Good Governance (CCSMEGG), has called on Nigerians to support the Nigeria Federal Fire Service under the leadership of the Controller General, Joseph Garba Anebi, for establishing core values of integrity, intelligence fire based response system which it said has reduced the incidence of fire disaster across the nation with particular reference to fire safety tips for homes, prevention campaigns and improved fire control knowledge across the country.

In a statement jointly signed by the group President, Kenneth Aigbegbele, and Secretary, James Okoronkwo, CCSMEGG stated that the rapid response and improvement against fire disaster management/control has helped Nigeria to curb high incidences of fire disaster, adding that Nigerians should join hands with the fire service authorities and its leadership to bring these malaise to an end finally.

The group stated that they are encouraged by Anebi’s leadership style and more importantly, his remarkable and selfless campaign on risk assessment and general disaster management “including his nationalistic disposition in tackling this menace head-on, raising the stakes in the battle against fire-fighting, mitigation and therefore averting many fire disasters at our homes and offices across the country in his avowed determination and commitment to rid the entire states of fire emergencies and disaster, which has attracted commendation of all and sundry including the president.”

The pressure group said: “We also commend the Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Dambazua’s model market specification driven by FFS, an initiative where the states are required to build, equipped and manned by FFS personnel, and market fire stations aimed at curbing incessant fire outbreak in our markets and enjoined states authorities saddled with safety matters to adopt this model.”

The statement further remarked that the fire service boss, Anebi, is a key asset in President Muhammadu Buhari administration’s fight against fire disaster, and as such, should be commended for modernising, repositioning, revolutionising the FFS for professionalism and effective service delivery.

“And in line with President Buhari’s change agenda, Anebi has, through dynamic and innovative policy frame work based on intelligent and aggressive fire prevention campaign architecture, upgraded and expanded critical infrastructure, training and re-training of officers, enhanced collaborations with sister agencies, robust public relations for the service as well as professionalising fire training courses among others.