The House of Representatives has urged the Federal Government to commit more funds to the Federal Fire Service and establish fire service stations in all the 774 Local Government Areas in Nigeria to meet up with the challenge of combating fire outbreaks.
Also, the House urged the Federal Fire Service and other stakeholders in disaster management to intensify advocacy in the sector, while calling on the National Emergency Management Agency to conduct sensitisation campaigns to LGAs on the importance of setting up, funding and equipping their own emergency management agencies to localise disaster risk management practices in local communities.
These resolutions were sequel to the unanimous adoption of the motion moved by a member of the House, Ganiyu Johnson, titled ‘Urgent Need to Upgrade the Standards of the Federal Fire Service to Tackle Incessant Cases of Fire Outbreaks in Nigeria.’
Moving the motion, Johnson noted that fire incidents constitute one of the calamities that often befall Nigerians, especially during the harmattan season, making it easy for fire to spread at the slightest ignition or explosions caused by fuel-laden trucks.
He also noted that lives, property and businesses have been destroyed as a result of incessant fire outbreaks in the country.
According to him, in Nigeria, the dry season is usually from November to March, which comes with an increased incidence of fire outbreaks due to the easy spread of fire during this period.
The lawmaker further noted that fire incidences occur occasionally during the rainy season as a result of explosions from fuel-laden trucks, recalling an explosion along the Apapa-Oshodi Expressway that damaged the ramp to the airport and caused huge a loss to the nation’s economy as it prevented people from accessing the airport on 7 January 2021.
He also recalled that on March 22, 2021, property worth millions of naira and over 60 shops were destroyed following a midnight fire outbreak at the Tudun Wada Market at Gusau in Zamfara State.
Johnson said, “The House is concerned that there have been numerous reports of fire incidents, which had destroyed businesses worth billions of naira and the consequent job losses that ensued, not to mention the loss of lives.
“The House is cognisant of the mandate of the Federal Fire Service to save lives and property through firefighting, rescue operations and rendering of other humanitarian services.”
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