The Senate Committee on Interior has proposed safeguards to prevent qualified senior officers of the Federal Fire Service from being bypassed in the appointment of the Controller-General, warning that such practices could force them into premature retirement.
The committee chairman, Senator Adams Oshiomhole, stated this on Tuesday during the consideration of a bill seeking to repeal the existing Fire Service Act and establish a new legal framework for the service.
Oshiomhole argued that the proposed legislation should prioritise serving Deputy Controllers-General for appointment as Controller-General, except where objective factors, such as age, years of service or other eligibility requirements, render them unsuitable.
He expressed concern that appointing a junior officer over more senior colleagues could compel the latter to leave the service before attaining the statutory retirement age or completing their years of service.
According to him, the law should promote fairness, merit and international best practices rather than retain administrative practices simply because they have become established.
The senator said the presence of several Deputy Controllers-General in the service made it reasonable to expect that at least one would be qualified to succeed an outgoing Controller-General.
He therefore proposed that the President should ordinarily appoint the Controller-General from among serving Deputy Controllers-General, with clearly defined exceptions where none meets the stipulated requirements.
Oshiomhole also questioned a provision allowing the President to appoint a Controller-General from among serving officers not below the rank of Assistant Controller-General, warning that it could undermine seniority and create uncertainty in career progression.
He maintained that public service laws should protect the legitimate expectations of officers who had risen through the ranks and prevent avoidable retirements resulting from appointments outside the established hierarchy.
Although he acknowledged that similar practices existed in other security institutions, including the police and military, the committee chairman said their existence did not necessarily justify incorporating them into the new law.
During the meeting, a retired military officer on the committee asked whether the Federal Fire Service operated an age-or-rank rule similar to the military system, under which officers could be required to leave the service when a junior officer was promoted above them.
In response, the committee was informed that the service required an officer appointed as Controller-General to have at least 18 months remaining before retirement.
Officers who do not meet the requirement may serve in an acting capacity but cannot be appointed substantively, the committee was told.
The lawmakers also examined provisions governing the disclosure of official information and the confidentiality obligations of Federal Fire Service personnel.
Oshiomhole acknowledged the need to protect sensitive government information but cautioned against using confidentiality provisions to undermine citizens’ right to access information and demand accountability.
The proposed law requires officers and personnel of the service to keep information obtained in the course of their official duties confidential and prohibits its use for personal or unauthorised purposes.
However, it provides exceptions for disclosures required by a court of competent jurisdiction or permitted under the proposed legislation, while preserving access-to-information rights under the Freedom of Information Act and other applicable laws.
Oshiomhole stressed that the legislation must conform to the Constitution and existing laws, noting that legitimate confidentiality requirements must be balanced with transparency and accountability.
The committee chairman also questioned a proposed general penalty for violations of the legislation where no specific punishment had been prescribed.
The provision recommends a fine of N200,000, imprisonment for two months, or both, upon conviction.
The committee further considered the proposed repeal of the existing Fire Service Act, including the need to clarify the legal status of actions taken under the current law.
The Controller-General of the Federal Fire Service, Olumode Samuel Adeyemi, represented the service at the meeting, where its management expressed appreciation to the committee for its work.
Oshiomhole said the committee would subject the bill to further scrutiny, particularly provisions that had not been adequately explained, to ensure that the final legislation was clear, fair and effective.
He urged lawmakers not to rush the legislative process, stressing that careful examination of the proposed provisions was essential to producing a law that would serve the interests of the service, its personnel and the public.
