A civil society group, the Coalition of Civil Societies and Media Executives for Good Governance in Nigeria (COCMEGG) has endorsed what it called the high level of accountability, transparency, unparalleled gigantic projects spread all over the federation and the enormous developmental strides of the management of the Federal Fire Service, under the leadership of Engr. Garba Joseph Anebi. They commended his resolve and commitment to reposition and rebrand the comatose state of the Federal Fire Service into a world-class institution with the purchase of the state of the art equipment and machinery to combat fire disaster management across the country.
A press release signed by the President of COCMEGG, Omoba Kenneth Aigbegbele, commended the capacity building; development of officers and men; high Esprit-de-corps; enhanced remuneration and welfare packages; institutional development at the fire academy; turn-around maintenance culture of the asset of the fire service and the rebranding of the fire service sector to meet with international best practices. According to him, this unprecedented achievement is a turning point in the history of the Federal Fire Service and a tonic to the change mantra of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, which have earned the hierarchy a National Productivity Merit award by Mr. President recently.
It further remarked that Engr Anebi should be encouraged and supported by well-meaning Nigerians and private organizations for modernizing, rebranding and the total transformation of the Federal Fire Service for professionalism and effective service delivery. Through his dynamic and innovative policy framework as encapsulated in his vision of “the Federal Fire Service of our Dreams” since assuming the mantle of leadership.
“Due to his avowed policy direction of the nation’s fire service, the aggressive fire prevention campaign architecture, upgrading and the expansion of critical infrastructures, training and re-training of officers, enhanced collaboration with sister agencies and the standardization of fire and rescue equipment including the upgrade of the National Fire Academy (NFA) to University status and other training centres. Nigerians and all relevant stakeholders, should as a matter of national priority, join hands with the management to reinvigorate the firefighting mechanism put in place and the on-going revolution at the Federal Fire Service coupled with the anti-corruption stance of Engr. Joseph Garba Anebi to build a viable and sustainable institution of repute.
The group stated that they are encouraged by Anebi’s proactive leadership style, open door policy and more importantly, his remarkable, selfless campaign on risk assessment in buildings across the country, general disaster management, timely electronic alarm response platform put in place including raising the stakes in the battle against firefighting and thus averting many fire disasters at our homes and offices across the country. The Minister of Interior, Lt. Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau, got commendation for the initiative of Model Market Specification, where states are required to build, equip and manned by FFS personnel, market fire stations aimed at curbing incessant fire outbreaks in our markets. Therefore, passed a vote of confidence on his leadership for the nationalistic disposition, sacrifices, foresight and encouragement under the Ministry.
COCMEGG urged organizations, public-spirited individuals; NGO’s and state governments to support the institutional development presently taking place at the Federal Fire Service through partnership and collaborations for the adequate funding of projects, purchase of equipment and the upgrade of existing infrastructures because of its strategic importance to the socio-economic development of the nation.
