Federal Firemen On War Path, Resist Posting To Lagos

Federal fire servicemen in Lagos State have protested an attempt by the Comptroller-General of the Federal Fire Service, Mr. James Olusegun Okebiorun to transfer them into the employ of the Lagos State government through fraudulent means.

The protesters who carried placards with the inscriptions: James Olusegun Okebiorun and Engr. O.S. Bashiri Must Go, Ceding of Federal Fire Service Property and Men is Illegal, Non-Provision of Operational Equipment is Inefficiency and Lagos State, Beware, Federal Fire Service is not for sale, said they embarked on protest to sensitise federal lawmakers and President Goodluck Jonathan on their plight.

Narrating their ordeal to P.M.NEWS, their spokesman, Mr. Aje Godwin said: “We are going to resist their plan to cede federal servicemen to the Lagos State government because it is illegal. The federal fire service is established by law, and the law still exists, it has not been repealed. Where then do they derive the power to cede the federal fire servicemen to the Lagos State government?

“We want to hear from the federal lawmakers and the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria if their plan was approved. Now, we are under two ministries, Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Works and Housing. Is that not corruption?

“Three of our members, Ime Eyo, Moses Orishadiji and Oloniyo Babatope were posted to Lagos State through two ministries. Moses Orishadiji and Ime Eyo were posted through the Ministry of Works and Housing, while Mr. Oloniyo Babatope was posted through the Ministry of the Interior. Now, we don’t know the ministry that is controlling the Federal Fire Service in Lagos State.

“We are calling on the federal lawmakers, the Ministry of the Interior and President Goodluck Jonathan to come to our aid.”

Commenting on the protest, the Chief Engineer in charge of the Lagos State sector, Mr. O.S. Bashiri said, “the protest by the fire service men is uncalled for because they are only acting on rumours.

“The present comptroller-general or myself, is not the initiator of the so-called ceding. It was the former director of the Federal Fire Service, Mr. Ogbogo, who initiated it in 2004. Since then, no circular has been issued to that effect. So, the issue of ceding federal fire service men to Lagos State is not our initiative and it still remains a rumour.”

—Paul Iyoghojie