The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) and the Federal Fire Service (NFS), on Thursday strengthened their cooperations to curb fire disaster in Nigeria’s tertiary institutions.
Consequently, the Executive Secretary of TETFund, Arc. Sonny Echono, said all Federal Government institutions across the nation will have fire stations for swift intervention of fire incidents in our campuses.
The ES made this known, during the visit of the Controller General of the FFS, Olumode Samuel Adeyemi with his team to the Fund’s headquarters in Abuja.
Echono emphasized that fire protection on campuses is very essential for the safety of the students.
“We are going to ensure that all our schools at least have fire stations. So they can respond very quickly in the event of fire.
“I will be able to support the basic intervention that will enable them to acquire facilities to be able to do so. While you will help with the training and the other facilities of manpower.
“Life is irreplaceable, we must do everything to avoid it. To expand the areas of this partnership, we will go for training both our staff and our beneficiary institutions and ensuring that we secure those assets we have on our various campuses across the nation”, he stated.
The ES explained that the Fund’s mandate is to provide infrastructure for teaching, learning, research, and other academic activities in tertiary institutions that are beneficiary of TETFund, but do not give funds directly to agencies.
Speaking earlier in his remarks, the Controller General said the visit aims to strengthen the existing relationships between the two agencies.
He said the Service is collaborating with TETFund for the purpose of reducing fire outbreaks in our tertiary institutions.
Adeyemi emphasized the need for fire stations, smoke detectors, fire alarms systems, fire extinguisher, and defence equipment in all the buildings of Nigeria tertiary institutions.
He noted that without the Fund’s permission, the FFS mandate of saving lives and property will be unachieved in our campuses.
Recalling incidents of fire outbreaks in tertiary institutions, the CG said, “In 2024 about 3 university girls hostels were on fire in Yobe State with about 29 rooms burnt and about 5 casualties recorded. A similar incident happened this year in Kogi State University and some others.
“Sir, we need your support, there should be fire defence equipment in the buildings. We want to collaborate with your men so that there will be a reduction in economic loss due to fire disasters in this country.
“We need to educate these children (students) on fire safety. We can’t jump into universities, we have to go through TETFund,” he stated.
Adeyemi appreciated TETFund for their infrastructural building in Federal universities, Polytechnics and Colleges education and also, for the collaboration the Fund is having with Fire Service.