Fire Service to be restored in Akwa Ibom State
By Theresa Donatus, Uyo
Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Works and Fire Service Prof Eno Ibanga has observed that the state fire service has been in comatose over the years and vowed to revamp the service in line with modern fire fighting operations
Speaking with newsmen in Uyo on Tuesday, Ibanga disclosed that the state Fire Service will be totally overhauled through procurement of modern state of the Art Fire Fighting Equipment and recruitment of staffs.
" Recently we discovered that almost all the personnel in the state Fire Service have retired leaving only small size of workforce to handle fire emergencies in the state.
" Technically, equipment in the fire service have become obsolete and need replacement to fight fire outbreak in the state.
" I am planning to bring resource persons for intensive training of Fire Men in the state . I would do it at appropriate time ." he said
When our Correspondent visited the state Fire Service Office along Dominic Utuk Avenue in Uyo , the number of staff working was very few while there was only one functional Fire Truck to attend to Fire Emergencies in the state.
One of the staff who pleaded anonymity said many staff in the state Fire Service have retired while equipment at their disposal are not enough to tackle fire outbreak .
" It is unfortunate that almost 80 per cent of our staff here have retired and government could not recruit new ones to fill existing vacancies here.
" Even the only equipment here , we don't have consumables to use . This consumables are chemicals such as F-F-F, Foam chemicals and other detergent needed in our operations.
" Really the state Fire Service needs total revamp in terms of manpower and equipment to meet fire emergencies "
He therefore requested the Commissioner for works to come to their aid and reposition the state fire service for effective service delivery.
Government is working
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