By: Adelowo Oladipo, Minna
The Niger State Fire Service has sensitised staff of the Ministries of Investment and Private Sector Development, and Commerce, Industry and Cooperatives, on fire prevention, workplace safety and effective response to emergencies.
This is contained in a statement issued by the Information Officer of the Niger State Ministry of Investment,Commerce and Industry,Ismaila Musa and made available on Thursday in Minna
The sensitisation exercise, held at the Ministry of Investment and Private Sector Development, was aimed at equipping staff with practical knowledge on preventing fire outbreaks and responding appropriately when emergencies occur.
The delegation was received on behalf of the Commissioner for Investment and Private Sector Development, who oversees the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Cooperatives, Alhaji Aminu Suleman Takuma, by the Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Helen Umar Williams, alongside directors and other senior officials.
Speaking during the exercise, the team leader of the Fire Service delegation, Mr. Lokogoma, said the programme was designed to inspect the ministries’ facilities and educate staff on fire prevention and safety measures.
He identified electrical faults, careless handling of cooking appliances, open flames, gas and fuel leakages, smoking, improper storage of combustible materials and negligence as some of the major causes of fire outbreaks.
Lokogoma also explained the various classes of fire and the appropriate methods of extinguishing them, stressing the need for staff to understand basic fire safety procedures.
He advised staff to avoid overloading electrical sockets, regularly inspect electrical installations, switch off appliances when not in use, properly store flammable materials and keep emergency exits free from obstruction.
He further urged staff to remain calm during fire emergencies, raise the alarm, evacuate through designated exits and contact the Fire Service immediately.
The sensitisation also featured a practical demonstration on the safe use of fire extinguishers and other basic techniques for containing fire.
Staff of the two ministries actively participated in the demonstration, gaining practical knowledge on how to respond to fire emergencies safely and effectively.
Speaking after the exercise, the Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Helen Umar Williams, commended the Niger State Fire Service for the initiative.
She said the programme had equipped staff with valuable knowledge on fire prevention and emergency response, noting that the practical demonstration would further enhance their preparedness to deal with fire incidents in the workplace.
