FG To Repeal And Enact Fire Act Of 1963 ………exports Rescue knowledge to African nations soon

Babatunde Ayeni

The Federal Government has reiterated its commitment to repeal and enact the Fire and Rescue Service Act of 1963 to enable Federal Fire Service export rescue knowledge to other African countries. Mninster of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo disclosed this at the Groundbreaking ceremony for the Remodeling and upgrading of National Fire Academy in Kwali, Abuja. Tunji-Ojo described as obsolete the Act which he said is not capable of providing twenty first century rescue service for Nigerians.

“We will be working hard to see to the repeal and enacting of the Fire and Rescue Service Act. This present law of 1963, you know it is obsolete, and we cannot continue to be held down or tied down to the apron of the past. And that is why Government is going all the way to make sure we equip you with the required knowledge, not just for the Nigerian market, but we want to be an exporter of rescue knowledge to the rest of Africa” he said.

The Minister further assured that in the next one year, the remodeling and Upgrading Fire Academy will be commissioned by President Bola Tinubu. He said, “Government is putting in lot of resources into this, and I tell you all our guests, please study the presentation well, because in the next one year by the grace of God, we will not be here doing ground breaking but commissioning this project”. Speaking at the occasion, Controller General Fire Service, Jaji Abdulganiyu who commended the efforts of the Minister for remodeling and upgrading Fire Academy maintained that various military and paramilitary agencies had so far benefited from the institution’s facilities.

“The National Fire Academy (NFA) has produced well trained firefighters on Basic and Advanced Firefighting and Rescue courses, Career Progression Courses, Incident Command Systems, Strategic Administration, Breathing Apparatus, etc. It may interest you to know that trainees from all works of life have been patronizing the NFA for trainings, e.g. The Nigerian Army, The Nigerian Navy, DSS, Paramilitary Agencies, Individuals and Members of Corporate bodies from within and without the country” CG FFS said. The Academy has various props (Aeroplane, Automobile, Confined Space, Firehouse, etc).

Also, Firehouse props is one of the most recent props acquired by the Federal Fire Service Academy, commissioned only a year ago by the former Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbeshola. It is a modern, world-class, automated pre-engineered props for simulation of all classes of fires, extinguishment, search and rescues.

The Academy in Sheda, Abuja is with an annex in Lagos; and Six (6) Training Schools, one in each of the geo-political zones (i.e., Maiduguri, Kankia, Ilorin, Umuahia, Ilesha and Calabar).