10th March, 2021
Apparently alarmed over the incessant fire outbreaks in markets, private and public buildings across Nigeria, the House of Representatives on Wednesday moved that the Federal Government as a matter of urgency enforce installation of fire alerting systems in all buildings across Nigeria and the Federal Capital Territory FCT.
The enforcement should be across board involving commercial buildings, private and public buildings.
In a motion promoted by Hon Henry Nwawuba, PDP, Imo entitled: ‘Curbing the Menace of Fire Outbreaks in Nigeria, the House resolved that:
The Federal Fire Service should ensure that all public building structures and markets within the Federal Capital Territory and the country have functional fire alerting systems to save lives and properties to avoid the menace of fire outbreaks.
The House in plenary urged the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and Federal Fire Service, FCT to ensure compliance with the Federal Fire Service Act by ensuring that every building and market within FCT install fire alerting system in their various structures;
To this end, the House mandated the Committees on Legislative Compliance and Interior to ensure compliance.
In his submission, Nwawuba noted that “fire incidence is a recurring phenomenon in Nigeria with cases of fire incidents reported across the nation without any sign of cessation and these outbreaks are caused by many factors which include human negligence.”
He explained that the Federal Fire Service is statutorily charged by the Fire Service Act with responsibility to facilitate all fire-fighting and fire prevention activities in its jurisdiction.
Nwawuba expressed worry that there have been reported cases of fire outbreaks in some plazas, high rise buildings and major markets across the country, which have led to loss of lives and properties worth millions of naira;
The Imo lawmaker explained that public and private structures, including markets do not have adequate fire alerting systems in place to curb the menace.
Cognizant of the provisions of Section 4 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 which empowers the National Assembly to make laws for the good governance of the Federation or any part thereof concerning any matter included in the Exclusive Legislative List, the House unanimously endorsed the motion.