By
Victoria Anietie
Fire
Service equipment worth over N500,000 million are wasted at the Akwa Ibom State
Fire Service Stations across the state due to non release of funds by the state
government to put them to use.
This
was discovered last Monday when The chairman, House of Assembly Committee on
works and transport, Hon. (Prince) Idongesit Ituen led other members of the
Committee to inspect facilities at the Akwa Ibom State Fire Service
Headquarters , along Brooks Street Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.
The
state director of fire service,Elder Ndarake Ukpe who conducted the committee
members around the premises. lamented poor state of fire fighting equipment
across stations in the 31 local government of the State and attributed it to
negligence by the Ministry of Works headed by Mr. Ephraim Inyang-eyen in which
the fire service directly under the supervision of his ministry .
Elder Ukpe told the lawmakers that all fire fighting trucks are not functioning
which does not allow them to discharge their duties effectively to the people
of the state during fire emergency.
"
The fire fighting trucks we have here, none of them is functioning. They have
mechanical breakdown. Even the one at the state house of Assembly, Governors
house and Ikot Ekpene fire Division all broke down long ago. Only the one at
Akpan Adam market and Eket are the one that have partially functioning fire
fighting vehicle all others are not working . "
Because of that Since June this year, we have not been able to respond to any
fire engulf and once we couldn't respond the public will trope in here and the
fire fighters will have to find somewhere and hide them selves else the public
will come and kill them here . "He noted
When
asked by the committee members if he has made official report to the State
government, he said "Yes" that he had made several report since 2015
till date the government has not responded.
He
further disclosed that five powerful fire fighting vehicle seen at the premises
was given by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) since 2008 but has
not been put to use due to the inability of the state government TO release
fund for it to be put to use and no I has spoiled beyond repair.
" We have sent several letters through the ministry of works and no
response. The five vehicles seen here was given by the NDDC since 2008 but has
not been put to use because the state government has not come to Commission it
as directed by NDDC before using it"
"We are suffering,I can not do anything with out money if government gives
me money there is nothing I can not do here in fire service and the fire
service law says that the Honourable Commissioner ministry of works is the only
person to provide us with all what we need "
Also
speaking, the divisional commander uyo, Mrs Nsikak Godwin and Anthony Sunday
also lamented lack of Man power, Lack of impress, subversion to buy basic needs
of the station for years now and also decried the dilapidated state of
infrastructure in the station and pleaded with the state house of assembly to
help them get funds so as to discharge their duties effectively.
Addressing
management and stuff of the service , the Chairman House Committee on works and
transport, Prince Idongesit Ituen and other members of the committee were
seriously angry at the poor state of facilities and described the situation as
pathetic and waste of Resources.
In an interview with Assembly correspondents immediately after the tour, the
chairman of the committee, Prince Idongesit Ituen decried un utilization of
facilities at the fire service station which he said would have been properly
managed to generate revenue for the state.
Hear
him :"We had series of report that most of the fire fighting equipment are
not functioning... so base on that, we decided to do facility tour of the place
and we are convinced that something needs to be done urgently because a city, a
town or state can not do without an emergency unit like fire service
"Ituen noted
AKHA
work boss further assured that the house of Assembly headed by the Rt Hon Barr
Onofiok Luke will do everything possible to guarantee service delivery to the
citizenry.
"
We are going to make sure we put our appropriate report to the House and the
Executive Governor will be communicated appropriately for urgent intervention
"
It
was further observed that Many Equipments like fire fighting trucks, water
tanks and generating sets more than 6 were left to deteriorate while the
training school of the service was not utilized.
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