April 8, 2018

The Niger State Fire Service has urged Petroleum Tanker Drivers’ Association (PTDA) to take advantage of the State Fire Academy to train its members on fire safety  to avert disasters.

The Director of the service, Mr Muhammad Babakudu, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Minna on Sunday.

He said that tanker drivers were supposed to jostle for training in the academy, but it seemed they did not know the importance of the training school‎.

According to him, Niger Fire Service usually goes to NNPC Depot at Pogo, near Minna, to give tanker drivers safety tips.

“They should take advantage of our one-week training on fire prevention and fire-fighting to be able to prevent and fight fire on their own.

“The union should be willing to send its members on a one-week course on fire prevention and safety; by so doing, they will be creating consciousness ‎and poise in fire fighting emergencies.

“In Niger State, we have many flash points – Tegin, Mokwa, Sabon Wuse, Dikko and Pogo; these are places with high concentration of tankers.

“Tanker drivers and conductors need the training,” he said.

Babakudu called on the independent and major marketers ‎of petroleum products in the state to take advantage of the school to train their fuel attendants‎ on fire prevention, fire fighting and general safety.

He also called on organisations in Minna, including hotels to also train their staff on fire prevention.