By Baba Yusuf
Abuja
A pressure group, Coalition of Civil Societies and Media Executives for Good Governance, has called for the support of Nigerians for the Federal Fire Service (FFS) under the leadership of its Controller-General, Engr. Joseph Garba Anebi, for “establishing core values of integrity, intelligence fire-based response system that has reduced the incidence of fire disasters across the nation with particular reference to fire safety tips for homes, prevention campaigns and improved fire control knowledge across the country.”
A press statement jointly issued by the President, Omoba Kenneth Aigbegbele and Secretary, Comrade James Okoronkwo, stated that the rapid response and improvement against fire disaster management/control “has helped Nigeria to curb high incidences of fire disaster.”
It urged Nigerians should join hands with the FFS and its leadership to bring “this malaise to a full stop, once and for all.”
The statement read in part: “We 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 thus averting many fire disasters at our homes and offices across the country in his avowed determination and commitment to ride the states of fire emergencies and disasters.
“We commend also the Hon. Minister of Interior, Lt.-Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazu’s model market specification driven by FFS, an initiative where the states are required to build, equip market fire stations aimed at curbing incessant fire outbreaks in our markets.”
“Anebi is a key asset in this administration’s fight against fire disaster and as such should be commended for modernising, repositioning, revolutionising the FFS for professionalism and effective service delivery in line with Mr. President’s change agenda, through dynamic and innovative policy framework based on intelligent and aggressive fire prevention campaign architecture upgrading and expansion of critical infrastructure, training and re-training of officers, enhanced collaborations with sister agencies, robust public relations for the service, professionalising fire training courses, etc.
“We are passionately appealing to organisations and public-spirited individuals to support President Buhari’s drive to modernise the Federal Fire Service through adequate funding and upgrading of existing infrastructure because of its strategic importance to the socio-economic development of our nation.”
