FG inaugurates remodeling of national fire academy

The Federal Government on Tuesday conducted a groundbreaking ceremony for the remodeling and upgrading of National Fire Academy Sheda, Abuja.

The National Fire Academy located in Kwali Area Council of Abuja, would be remodeled with first class infrastructure for global competitiveness, and is expected to gulp billions of naira.

Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, speaking at the occasion, said the project would be completed in one year, stressing that the project would be ready for commissioning during President Bola Ahmed Tinubu second anniversary in office.

He said the National Fire Academy would be upgraded to a world-class institution, equipped with modern facilities and state-of-the-art infrastructures to be able to export its training programmes to nations of the world.

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On completion of the project, the rebranded National Fire Academy would have automated classrooms, Modern hostels, staff quarters, magnificent library, Helipad, Watch Tower, modern fire station, and clinic among others.

He also announced plans of the Federal Government to establish a new six (6) Fire Academy, one in each of the six geopolitical zones. He said this was imperative to make the fire fighting training available to more Nigerians.

He pledged to ensure that the Fire Service is not relegated any longer in the scheme of things, saying President Tinubu is doing a lot in that respect, especially the payment of a peculiar allowance and massive promotion for officers last year.

Tunji-Ojo, who lamented that the Fire Service over the years has been a sleeping giant, urged the personnel of the Service to rise up to their responsibilities as first responders in times of emergencies, to ensure safety of lives and property in the country.

He noted that what the Service was set up to do is a function of the Constitution, reminding the Service that the government is putting all the things in place to ensure efficiency and productivity in service delivery.

He also revealed that the government is working hard to repeal the Federal Fire Service establishment Act, which he described as obsolete.

Recall that the Federal Executive Council (FEC) had approved the enactment of the Federal Fire and Rescue Service Establishment Act 2022.

The new proposed law is meant to replace the old law establishing the Fire Service, which has been in existence for over 60 years. The Federal Fire and Rescue Service Establishment Act 2022, is meant to bring into currency the operations and professionalism of the Federal Fire Service as it delivers its services to Nigerians.

Tunji-Ojo said: “By the grace of God, we will be working hard for the repeal and enactment of Fire and Rescue Service Establishment Act. This ancient law since 1963 is obsolete. The scope of Fire Service all over the world in 2024 cannot be lost in the ancient law of 1963,” he said.

Controller-General, Federal Fire Service, Jaji Abdulganiyu, in his welcome address, said was optimistic that the remodelling of the National Fire Academy would adequately tackle some of the challenges bedevilling the Institution.

He listed some of these challenges to include, accommodation inadequacy -classroom spaces, offices; firefighting infrastructural gap; lack of capacity to carry out trainings on competence of responders to deal with hazardous materials / weapons of mass destruction incident, aerial/marine firefighting and Rescue operations and rescue operations during flood incidence.

He added that these capabilities and capacity ones built in the Academy, the Institution would be a one stop shop for all training in Life Safety System for Nigeria and beyond. 

Abdulganiyu commended the minister for his vision and innovativeness which he has brought to bear in all the paramilitary agencies under his watch.

He also lauded the current administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for its commitment to safety and security of Nigerians.

He added that in the Federal Fire Service the officers and men are fully motivated “as the administration within one year approved the payments of peculiar allowance, rent subsidy and just recent increase in salary for some categories of workers.

“These Incentives have renewed the Hope of Fire Men across the country and we are grateful to the Honourable Minister who was consistent in his engagement with the National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission, the result of which all paramilitary agencies under his watch are better for it.”