APPOINTMENT OF AN ENGINEER BY GOVERNOR UGWUANYI AS CHIEF FIRE OFFICER, THE SECRET OF OUR SUCCESS – ENGR. OHAA

Enugu: The Chief Fire Officer, Enugu State Fire Service, Engr. Okwudiri Daniel Ohaa, FNSE has described the appointment of an engineer by the State Governor, Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, as Chief Fire Officer, for the first time in the history of the Service as the secret to the current success story of the Service.

Engr. Ohaa noted this while welcoming a delegation of the Nigerian Society of Engineers(NSE), Enugu Branch that was at the Ogui Road Fire Station, Enugu on Wednesday, 3rd March 2021, on an industrial visit, as part of activities marking the World Engineering Day held annually on 4th March.

“The secret of the upsurge in the service delivery of the State Fire Service is the appointment of an engineer for the First time by His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi as the State Chief Fire Officer. He also recruited so many graduate engineers into the Service, in his wisdom”.

Ohaa, a Fellow of the Nigerian Society of Engineers and as well the Assistant Technical Secretary, NSE, Enugu Branch explained that having an engineer as Chief Fire Officer and so many engineers in its fold has had an overwhelming positive impact on the service delivery and efficiency of the Service.

“Due to the massive moral and financial support of the State Governor, the State Fire Service, through its engineering work force had a break through in various aspects”

During a tour of the facilities at the station, Engr. Ohaa displayed a motorized fumigator that was fabricated by a team of engineers in the State Fire Service led by Engr. Chinedu Ogbu for mass disinfection which was fully utilized by the Service in the fumigation of the state at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic last year. Utilization of the motorized fumigator was then demonstrated.

While showing the delegation other newly acquired equipment, Engr. Ohaa, FNSE said:
“Engineers in the State Fire Service are not only concerned with fire fighting, we are also involved in the fabrication of needed fire fighting equipment and tools to enhance service delivery. The Service also produced hand sanitizers in its effort to support the State Government in fighting COVID-19 and other Infectious diseases. Am happy to inform you, that the State Fire Service has been doing well in the area of engineering practice, all thanks to His Excellency the Enugu State Governor”.

He also displayed the Rapid Response Vehicles recently procured by the State Government for fire fighting in areas without spacious access roads. According to him, the Enugu State Fire Service now has five of the Rapid Response Vehicles and Enugu is the only state that has such vehicles in the country.

Also, Engr. Kenneth gave a concise lecture to the delegation on Fire and Safety followed by a demonstration of using fire extinguishers in fire fighting.

In his remark, during the interactive session, Engr. Chigbo Obealor, the Vice Chairman, NSE, Enugu Branch and leader of the delegation commended the Chief Fire Officer for the tremendous improvement in the Service delivery of the State Fire Service
“While we were here, I observed that your response to a fire alarm was very prompt. In fact, I timed it to be exactly fifty eight seconds.

“Again, in advanced countries, once you dial 199, the Fire Service, the Police, medical team and ambulance will all arrive in response. That is not the case here.”

Responding, Engr. Ohaa FNSE said, “That is what it ought to be. In Nigeria, the Nigerian emergency code is 112 but Enugu State emergency code is 117. Unfortunately, when you call 112 or 117, your call still has to be re-directed. Due to that, the National Communications Commission (NCC) is installing receivers here, so that we can receive fire alarm calls directly. We ought to be going with the police for security. For instance, during a fire fighting, yesterday, at Obiagu, we were nearly mobbed by hoodlums and we had to call the police. The way we are set up, we dont have a police team and medical team that goes with us. We usually contact the police while responding to fire alarm, we are also talking with the State Ministry of Health for a medical team”

On the issue of workers welfare, Engr Ọhaa, FNSE explained that the current Enugu State Government has prioritized workers welfare.
“Before this administration, Enugu State had only three fire station; two in Enugu, one in Nsukka. Now, we have five additional fire stations. The same applies to our welfare.
” Before Ugwuanyi took over, our hazard allowance was N10 which was what it was since 1970s. He has increased it to N10, 000. Before now, we bought our uniforms by ourselves but the current State Government now provides us with uniforms.

” In 2018, after the Timber Market fire incidence, His Excellency gave us N3 million monetary award which was shared among the staff. Also, in April, 2018, he gave each staff N20, 000 to encourage us. Again, after the fire incidence at Juhel Filling Station, in December, 2018, His Excellency graciously converted twenty seven of our staff from fire man cadre to officer cadre despite an embargo on staff conversion.
“Currently, arrangements are in final stages for construction of quarters in some of our stations to ensure that the staff are housed within the station for enhanced response time. The stations include; Ozalla, Oji River, 9th Mile, Idaw River, Orba and Nsukka.
“Again, he approved N5, 000 daily stipend for all those involved in fumigation. He has also approved life insurance for all our staff”
In his own remark, Engr Dons Udeh, who was a former Commissioner for Rural Development in Enugu State commended Engr. Ohaa, FNSE for turning around the fortune of the Service.

“I commend you for turning around the fortune of the State Fire Service. In my days, as Commissioner for Rural Development, the Fire Service was under my Ministry. Going by the huge success you have achieved, the Fire Service seems to be independent of any Ministry today”

Engr. Ohaa, FNSE responded thus:”We are still under the ministry of Rural Development. The magic is that His Excellency the Enugu State Governor has granted me unhindered access to his office based on the importance he attached to our Job.

“Again, a cash unit was created for the Fire Service so that we can get our funds directly”
Other members of the delegation include Engr Dr. Harmony Nnenna Nwobodo-Nzeribe, a former Head of the Department of Computer Engineering, ESUT, Enugu and Engr Ik Enemuo, Director, Engineering Services, FRCN, Enugu.

In her vote of thanks, Engr Dr Nwobodo – Nzeribe, Technical Secretary, NSE, Enugu Branch thanked Engr. Ohaa, FNSE for his achievements in office. She also commended Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi for his support for the State Fire Service.