The Nigerian House of Representatives has moved to amend a bill for an act to allow the Fire Service Act build safety measures, regulate and penalise defaulters of global best practice.
This was sequel to a motion moved by Honourable Unyime Idem, member representing Ukanafun/Oruk Anam Federal Constituency of Akwa Ibom State.
The bill is to amend the provisions of the Fire Service Act, Cap. F29, Laws Of The Federation Of Nigeria, 2004 which was read for the first time on the 10th of May 2021.
The Bill seeks, among other things, to put in place a legal framework for the establishment of requisite prevention mechanisms and global best practices and maintain world safety standards and penalise defaulters.
Honourable Idem said that fire outbreaks in Nigeria have risen to a worldwide attention in recent years causing great loss to both the environmental and economic lives.
He said the Nigerian government and its people have continued to record high loses of lives as a result of fire disasters and outbreak and critical sectors of the nation’s economy and infrastructure were also consumed by fire, leaving in their trail huge economic loses to individuals and the nation at large.
He noted that private homes, public buildings, markets, warehouses, sawmills, fuel tankers, educational establishments, shops, clubs, hotels, and restaurants were all victims of unpreparedness in management and fighting fire incidences.
Highlight of the bill
This bill has an amendment of about 6 sections, which were vital and significant to the management and prevention of fire disaster in the country.
The sections of the bill are:
1. In order for the innovation to be effective, Section 2 of the Principal Act is amended by adding the word “management”.
2. Section 5 of the Principal Act is amended by the introduction of fresh paragraph to read; “give approval for building after thorough perusal of the submitted building plan and compliance with provision of necessary fire services prevention and management kits and supervision protocols.”
3. Section 24 of the Principal Act is amended by inserting fresh sub-section to read: “Subsequent upon submission for an approval for a building compliance with the fire service protocol, the officials of the Fire service shall charge a particular fee to the intended developer and such funds shall be remitted to the covers of the Government of the Federation.
4. Section 28 of the Principal Act is hereby amended by addition of fresh paragraph to read thus: “Any person who contravenes or fails to comply with any of the provisions of this Act, or with any regulation or requirement made thereunder, for which no other penalty is specifically provided shall be guilty of an offence and on summary conviction thereof shall be liable to a fine not exceeding forty naira or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two months or to both such fine and imprisonment”.
5. Section 28 of the Principal Act is hereby and further amended by inserting to read thus: “Any person who contravenes or fails to comply with the provisions of Section 5 (e) of this Bill, or with any regulation or requirement made thereunder shall be guilty of an offence and on summary conviction thereof shall be liable to a fine not exceeding One Million Naira or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five months or to both such fine and imprisonment”.
All the amendments were said to be imputed to strengthen the administration, organisation, and management of fire prevention mechanisms and protocols within the country in line with best practices and global standards.
Justification for the bill
The motion noted that government establishments weee not left out in recently fire incidence which has been recorded from headquarters of the Federal Inland Revenue Service in Abuja, Accountant General office in Abuja and many government parastatals and establishments.
“Statistics released indicates that property valued Hundreds of billions of Naira were lost to the fire incidents in few years, hundreds of lives lost, and the number of razed buildings and property by fire are incalculable The cost and pain of the of fire incidents is generally unbearable as it leads to pains and death of victims, thousands displaced, money and materials, and damages to equipment and structures generally depicted the socio- economic loss which is quite alarming.”
Fire prevention and preparedness are more than just firefighting and hazard reduction. It involves a risk planning process, which includes identifying assets within a community at risk, assessing those risks, and developing specific strategies to deal with those risks. Despite the fact that nothing could be sustainably done to completely stop the occurrence of fire disaster, something can be done to mitigate the spread,” It said.
Cost Implication
The sponsor of the bill noted that the enactment of the bill into law would have no direct cost implication on the Public Fund and would produce general benefit for the Country.
He said the benefits for the country to include revenue generation from commercial buildings seeking fire service approval and penalty from the defaulters and create job opportunity for building examiners.
He pointed out that there was the need to amend the fire service Act making provisions for the overhaul of the Fire Service management and build in the necessary reforms to secure critical social science and geo-spatial data and information in disasters.
“It is a patriotic move, which I believe should be supported by this Honourable House,“he stated.
He concluded by appealing for support for the Bill to be read for the second time and referred to the relevant committee for further legislative action.
Lateefah Ibrahim
