Nasarawa Assembly Declares State of Emergency On State Fire Service

… Is a moribund institution-Peter Akwe

Rabiu Omaku

The Nasarawa State House of Assembly irked over the increasing cases of fire outbreaks in the State has called for the declaration of a State of emergency in that regard.

Hon. Hajara Danyaro (APC) Nasarawa Central raised the issue under a matter of public importance that the people of Nasarawa Local Government, her constituency are in dire need of succor following the outbreak of inferno in Nasarawa Yam market at about 3:00 am. (Sunday) last two weeks.

She said something urgent must be done to ameliorate the plight of those affected by the fire which destroyed farm produce mainly Melon amounting to millions of naira.

Also, another contributor, Hon Solomon Yakubu Akwashiki (SDP), Lafia Central sympathizes with the people of the Local Government, while he appreciates their representative for the heart-touching information, Urging the State Government to swing into action by bringing succor to the affected victims.

Hon. Peter Ibrahim Akwe (PDP) Obi 1 described the fire outbreak as quite unfortunate especially at these trying times, he gave vivid details of some fire incidents across the State ranging from an inferno that engulfed a motorcycle park and Trader shops leading to the death of policewoman and three others.

He also confirmed the death of four siblings and the fire incident where money worth thousands were lost, all in Nasarawa State, attesting that the State Government has a fire service without firefighting gadgets and functional operational vehicles.

Hon. Kana (SDP) representing Udegi: Loko constituency while contributing said his constituency was also engulfed in recent times by an inferno.

Hon.Musa Ibrahim, the Honorable member representing Doma South constituency (NNPP) averred that there is a need for the House of Assembly to have an outpost of the State Fire Service in case of any eventuality.

Also contributing, Hon Lanre Bawa (APC) Akwanga North said the victims deserved better treatment due to their plight.

The House of Assembly resolved that the State Government should as a matter of importance visit the victims as well make provision of relief materials that would cushion their present predicament.

The immediate past Governor of the State, Umaru Tanko Al-Madura, could have procured new firefighting vehicles when he held sway as the Governor of the State, but suddenly the functional firefighting vehicles were grounded.

All efforts to speak to the former Commissioner for Works, Engineer Idris Mohammed Idris whom insiders said it was during his reign that almost all the earth moving machines including 12 tires, 10 tires, Caterpillars, Payloaders, and numbers of fire fighting vehicles were auctioned as scrap, vehicles that were procured for eight years.

The engineer in one of the interviews said the grounded vehicles are behind the headquarters of the fire service, UNIVERSALREPORTERS when contacted by the State director of Fire Service confirmed that trucks mostly fire fighting vehicles are intact and are behind the office.

The State Director, of Fire Service, Hannatu George who was amongst those to vacate the civil service by next month declined to comment, instead directed UNIVERSALREPORTERS to the former Permanent Secretary of the Ministry who happened to be the present Commissioner for Works, Housing and Transport, Hon. Mu’azu Gosho knowns what transpired in the ministry.

It would be recalled that the immediate past Governor of Nasarawa State, Umaru  Tanko Al-Makura, on Monday 14/10/2013 in Lafia, commissioned five firefighting vans, mostly 1222 Model vehicles, towing trucks to assist the state fire service respond promptly to distress calls.

Speaking at the commissioning ceremony of the fairly used firefighting trucks on 14/10/2013, Al-Makura explained the reason for the donation, saying that “for many years before now, the whole State has been in dire need of an effective fire truck that will handle the issues of fire across the state”

According to him” in the past, we had fire brigades who have few vehicles to operate and we felt that at this stage, we should be able to prepare for the dry days and this informed why we acquired these fire trucks, to place them in vulnerable areas so that our fire servicemen will be able to come in handy at the appropriate time”.

Barely ten years after the procurement of the fairly used trucks, top government functionaries declared those properties scraps and were purchased by the same people in the government at takeaway prices.