The House of Representatives is to establish a Regulatory Agency that will be responsible for implementation of Safety Standards in Nigeria.
Chairman, House Committee on Safety Standards and Regulations, Mr. Sulaiman Abubakar Gumi who disclosed this in Abuja, during an interactive with Heads of Ministries, Departments and Agencies , MDAs, assured that the proposed legislative framework would be presented to the House after all the stakeholders’ inputs.
“I think every Agency seems to be working in silos, that means no coordination. In our continuous efforts to raise the bar on safety standards, the Committee has identified key areas for improvement. We are focusing on creating a Regulatory Board that will cut across all sectors to address emerging challenges and promote proactive measures.
Gumi who decried lack of coordination of safety standards and regulations across the country, however handed over the Strategic Work Plan launched by the Committee to all the stakeholders.
While disclosing plans to establish a website for the Committee which will provide avenue for ordinary Citizens to report unsafe situations, the Lawmaker urged all the stakeholders to participate in the baseline survey initiated to get inputs from all stakeholders across the country.
In his presentation, Assistant Comptroller General Nigerian Correctional Service, NCS, Emmanuel Nwakeze noted thar the 2019 Act made a lot of provisions for people who are disoriented in incarceration.
According to him, Section 9 and other sections of the Act empowered the Minister of Interior to ensure that safety and health of inmates are given priority.
He also noted that personnel who handle firearms are certified, with minimum period of training before handling arms and also underwent mental health screening.
Mr. Nwakeze who explained that the Centre recruited in-house Health Practitioners for all the correctional facilities and established a mental health board to promote the health of people in custody so that in case of death of any inmate, any erring officer will be prosecuted.
He also hinted on Federal Government’s ongoing plans to build 3,000 capacity Custodian centers in six geopolitical zones of the country, totalling 18,000 with Kano Correctional Centre already being completed.
While responding to questions bothering on how inmates get drugs while in custody within the Correctional Centre, he argued that some visitors can also bring drugs adding that not all staff are involved in the illicit effort.
Mr. Nwakeze argued that the Comptroller General of the Correctional Centre is doing his best to tackle the menace, and disclosed that more than 100 staff were dismissed for drug peddling and other offences, recently.
He also noted that the Centre is collaborating with Sister Agencies in efforts aimed at ensuring security of inmates, adding that a Special Group was set up and trained as Intelligent Officers purposely for intelligence gathering to give early warning signs.
Mr. Nwakeze explained that the Centre has robust emergency response for inmates and also adequate training of its personnel with a view to respond during emergencies, adding that the Centre’s plan is to establish Fire Service Units in all its facilities across the country.
On her part, Director, Education Support Services, Federal Ministry of Education, Mrs Lydia Giginna briefed the Committee on the ongoing efforts being made to implement Safe School initiative across the country.
Oduyemi Odumade, Edited By Grace Namiji
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