By Palma Yakubu
Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, authoritatively has said that the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration ranked high in the allocation and management of funds to Federal Fire Service, FFS with commensurate impact to the service.
Aregbesola stated this yesterday during the President Muhammadu Buhari scorecard for the period of 2015 to 2023 presentation at National Press Centre, Abuja.
He noted that the service has achieved great feats from 2015 to date, stating that procurement of cutting edge equipment have been procured in managing fire outbreaks and other domestic disasters within the control of the agency.
“Buhari’s Administration had deployed adequate funding to Federal Fire Service five times more than the service has ever had since inception in 190,” he said.
The Minister said that the Service now has fourteen zonal offices across the country to consolidate the state Fire prevention outfits. He further emphasized that there is presence of Federal Fire Service in the 774 local government of the Federation, enhanced with adequate training and equipment.
While reeling out the achievement of the administration in the ministry and its agencies, the Interior Minister stated that Nigerian Correctional Service has been a rehabilitation and remodel Centre for the Inmates which consequentially made Nigeria to be among few countries that recorded free COVID- 19 infections despite the challenges in the country’s custodian facilities.
Aregbesola also said the inmates were undergoing various vocational training to acquire skills that would sustain them after serving their terms, while some who are desirous of formal education have achieved the dreams in various degrees.
Ogbeni Aregbesola while responding to questions from journalists, reiterated that passport issuance has been made seamless by automating the process thereby eliminating touts and racketeering from the process.
He added that the new VISA policy has categorized VISA issuance to the needs of applicants; tourism, student, trade and others.
Aregbesola also stated that Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps has within period of this administration initiated Saved Schools Initiative in collaboration with other sister security agencies and other informal non state actors, to secure students in school.
The Minister said the Ministry under President Muhamadu Buhari had conferred citizenship on some foreign nationals and expanded the issuance of Expatriate quotas to foreign investors for the purpose of ease of doing business as well as employment generation to boost the nation’s economy.
The Ministry had established more marriage registries to include worship centres for the purpose of the excises across the zones in the country.
Dignitaries at the event include the host Minister of Information and Culture Alhaji Lai Mohammed, Permanent Secretary Mrs. Lydia Shehu, Permanent Secretary Interior Ministry Dr. Shuaib Belgore, Commissioners of the Board, Secretary of the Board Hajiya Aisha Rufai, CGs of the four Agencies, Directors in the Ministry and the Press.