TNN Appeals To FG To Tackle Incessant Market Fire Outbreaks, Establish Functional Fire Stations in 774 LGAs
By Madu Mohammed, Maiduguri
A group under the umbrella of the Team New Nigeria (TNN) has appealed to the Federal Government, governments at all levels to launch investigation into incessant fire outbreak across the country and also established functional fire service station s across states and 774 local government areas if the nation to curb incessant fire outbreak, especially in Markets.
The National President of the TNN, Dr. Modibbo Farakwai, made the call yesterday at the Shehu’s palace, Maiduguri when he led a delegation to sympathised with Shehu of Borno, Alh Abubakar Ibn Umar El-kanem, the victims and the people of the state over the Monday Market fire incident.
” The TBN urges the Federal Government to emulate the Government of Borno State by committing more funds to the Federal Fire Service (FFS) and provide fire service stations in all the 774 local government areas in the federation in order to meet up with their current challenges in combating fire outbreaks.”, the President said.
Dr Farajwai said .”We are here today, Your Highness, to identify with Your Highness and the people of Borno State over the fire outbreak that razed several shops with goods worth millions of naira at the Maiduguri Monday Market on February 26, 2023; ”
He said “TNN also urge the FFS and other stakeholders in disaster management to intensify advocacy in the sector.”
” We also want to use this opportunity to congratulate Your Highness and ourselves over the emergence of your son and our beloved leader, His Excellency Senator Kashim Shettima Mustapha as the Vice President-elect of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The Kashim Shettima we know is an austere man, uncompromising, humble man, an ardent patriot and a committed democrat”, the TNN.
He said “the Team New Nigeria is deeply saddened by the recurrent incidents of fire outbreaks in some major markets across the nation especially in the wake of general elections. In the space of two weeks, there have been major fire incidents in Maiduguri, Borno State followed by another fire outbreak in Lagos, Kano and Aba in Abia State and several others.”
“The TNN sends its deepest condolences to the families, friends and loved ones of all victims of the incidents and commiserates with the shop owners affected by the incidents. The TNN is concerned that there have been numerous reports of fire incidences, which had destroyed businesses worth billions of Naira and the consequent job losses that ensued, not to mention loss of lives and cognisant of the mandate of the FFS to save lives and property through firefighting, rescue operations and rendering of other humanitarian services.”, the President stated.
The group thank God for violence free Presidential and National Assembly General elections, adding that the they are planing to organised special prayers in Abuja for the success if Tinubu, Shettima administration and progress for the furtherance of the prosperity and happiness of Borno State, and of Nigeria as a whole. .
Similarly TNN calls on the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to conduct sensitisation campaigns to local government areas (LGAs) on the importance of setting up, funding and equipping their own emergency management agencies in order to localise disaster risk management practices in local communities.
He further said the TNN was established to foster good governance and unity among Nigerians , stressing that to achieve , they intend to build a national consensus for unity, introduce to the polity such narratives that will eradicate poverty, religious extremism, hate, political strife, disunity, inequity and corruption.
“In pursuance of these objectives, the TNN, whose Grand-Patron is His Excellency former President Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida,
with over 3 million members, has so far achieved the formation of TNN administrative and mobilisation structure across the Six (6) Geo-Political Zones, the Thirty-Six (36) states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), and the Seven Hundred and Seventy-Four (774) Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Nigeria and Ward Councils.
Amongst us are well-meaning Nigerians from all walks of life, from all professions and from all tribes and religions. Our binding forces are brotherhood, humanity, patriotism and the love for a greater Nigeria. And it’s for these purposes that the TNN unanimously decided to support the presidential candidacy of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Senator Kashim Shettima in the just concluded presidential elections.
He also explained that ” In the two years of our existence as a group, Team New Nigeria has succeeded in setting-up skills acquisition centres in the six geopolitical zones with the aim to complement government efforts to reduce unemployment in Nigeria. And the TNN will set up a committee to see how we can help people affected by the fire outbreaks.”
Resounding, the Shehu of Borno, Alh Abubakar Ibn Umar El-kanem, thanked the group for the Visit and prayed that God would reward them abundantly for identifying with the victims, the emirate, government and people of Borno .
The Royal father said Borno has over 1,200 recorded history and was faced with a lot of challenges such as Rabeh inversion, Maitatsine but came out stronger and is optimistic that the state will come out of Boko Haram insurgency better
The Shehu also said ” I Want use this opportunity to thank President Muhammad Buhari and the military for restoring peace back to Borno and the Northeast and further urged the federal to continue with exploration of Lake Chad area and the resuscitate ,the Chad Basin area.
