By Ibironke Ariyo
The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has expressed its readiness to collaborate with the Nigerian Red Cross Society (NRCS), Kano State Branch, to provide first aid and emergency response training for its personnel.
The Comptroller of Immigration training school, Kano state, Mr Tony Akuneme, made this known while receiving a delegation from the Kano State Branch of the NRCS during a courtesy visit.
This is contained in a statement on Thursday by the Public Relations Officer, NIS Training School, Kano, Mr Abubakar Salisu.
Akuneme said the training was part of efforts to strengthen the operational capacity of the personnel saying that it is aimed at strengthening cooperation between the two organisations.
He said 2,000 newly recruited officers will be graduating soon and would require basic first aid and emergency response training to effectively discharge their duties.
He noted that equipping officers with life-saving skills would enhance their ability to respond promptly to emergencies and provide immediate assistance when required.
“The command is committed to providing the necessary support and creating an enabling environment for the Red Cross to conduct specialised training for Immigration personnel in the state.
“The training will further strengthen the capacity of our officers and prepare them to respond appropriately during emergencies and humanitarian situations,” he said.
The Comptroller further said that he would communicate the initiative to the NIS headquarters with a view to extending the partnership to all the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Akuneme expressed optimism that institutionalising the collaboration at the national level would further enhance the preparedness and responsiveness of Immigration personnel across the country.Earlier, the Executive Secretary, NRCS, Kano State Branch, Alhaji Musa Abdullahi said the visit was aimed at strengthening the long-standing working relationship between the humanitarian organisation and the NIS.
This, he said, includes the other sister security agencies in Kano State.”
Abdullahi said the Red Cross remains committed to supporting security and emergency response institutions through capacity-building initiatives designed to save lives and improve public safety.
He affirmed the society’s readiness to train Immigration officers in first aid and emergency response to equip them with the requisite skills to provide immediate assistance whenever the need arises.
“The partnership reflects the shared commitment of both organisations to promoting professionalism, preparedness and humanitarian service delivery,”he said.
Abdullahi expressed appreciation to the Kano State Comptroller of Immigration for the warm reception accorded the delegation and commended his commitment to strengthening cooperation between the two organisations.
He expressed confidence that the proposed collaboration would contribute significantly to enhancing the emergency response capabilities of Immigration personnel in the state and beyond.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that both agencies at the end of the meeting, reached an understanding to deepen collaboration and work together in areas of mutual interest, particularly in capacity building and emergency response training.
The partnership is expected to strengthen institutional partnerships between the NIS and the NRCS while enhancing the preparedness of Immigration personnel to respond effectively to emergencies in the course of their duties. (NAN) (http://www.nannews.ng)