House of Representatives has expressed dissatisfaction over the poor stakeholders attendance as ongoing nationwide compulsory firemen training and certification for fuel stations, depots and tank farms held in Rivers state. Hon Kasimu Maigari, member House Adhoc Committee on Inspection of Downstream Petroleum sector operations, who expressed the displeasure at the training ground in Port Harcourt, said the House is serious about taking a hard stance against facility operators who fail to measure up at the end of the exercise. The lawmaker said, “You are aware the House authorised this capacity building being supervised by the Federal Fire Service, following disturbing gaps the Adhoc Committee discovered in the readiness to prevent or fight fires and sundry emergencies among downstream operators.
“We found out that in many, if not all filling stations visited, pump attendants don’t know how to operate a fire extinguisher, which the basic knowledge to quench fire when it breaks. But as serious as the challenge, we can’t shut down all the filling stations till they measure up. So stakeholders deliberated and the House resolved to mandate the Fire Service to train relevant personnel and designated safety officers on the basics of prevention and intervention on fire and sundry emergencies among filling stations, fuel depots and tank farm operators across the country. In other places I’ve been present, the turnout has been very impressive. In Port Harcourt today, I must say I’m not impressed. I don’t know if the invitation was not properly done. I wasn’t involved. It’s extremely important that depots, tank farms and fuel retail outlets have their representatives to attend this training, for safety of their staff, their investments and safety of Nigeria at large.
“At the end of this training and certification after now, no certificate or operations permit renewal will be granted without evidence of having attended this training. New investors coming would also not be granted operation permit without satisfying the basic safety compliance, particularly on this firemen. The Controller General, Federal Fire Service, Liman Ibrahim, represented by a Zonal Commander, Obisesan Olatunde, said, “We’ve started with the Depots and Tank Farms. The next stage is to integrate retail outlets into the training. We are satisfied the feedback we’re getting.” A participant, Muzeze Udugba, LPG Terminal Supervisor, Stockgap Fuels, said, “The training has been impact filled. The greater value is the opportunity for us, participants, to take the knowledge back to train our colleagues in the workplace.”
