Politics
IN the bid to check incidences of fire outbreaks in Anambra State that assumed epidemic proportion in recent past, the state government has fortified the State Fire Service, says a top government functionary.
The Commissioner for Public Utilities, Emeka Ezenwanne, explained that the government was compelled to re-organize the service so as to be able to “promptly and effectively quench fires whenever the need arises’’.
The service has been an important unit, under the Ministry of Public Utilities.
The commissioner, while being interviewed during the 2nd edition of the “Meet The Media’’, a platform created by the governor’s media team, Ezenwanne, listed 25 key achievements of Gov. Willie Obiano administration under his ministry.
The meeting was held at the Conference Hall of the office of Head of Service (HOS), at the Jerome Udoji Secretariat, Awka.
The commissioner said that in carrying out the reforms, essentially aimed at making the Anambra Fire Service an agency of government to be an embodiment of efficiency with enhanced performance.
Preparatory to the upgrade, the governor appointed a retired Airforce Officer, AVM Ben Chiobi as Managing Director. He also approved massive recruitment of the staff members to strengthen the unit; this led to the immediate employment of 120 firefighters.
According to Ezenwanne, the government followed up with a review of the monthly hazard allowance for firefighters from N10, 000 to N20, 000 with periodic training and opportunities for capacity-building.
“We provided them with 13 utility vehicles; refurbished more than 15 units of fire trucks; purchased five new ones from Innoson Motors and approved the renovation of their offices,” he said.
In recognition of the importance of water supply in fire containment, the government undertook the sinking of industrial borehole at Ochanja 1 & 2 Markets, the Onitsha Main Market, Ose Okwodu and Marine Markets.
“The government, then, provided a very a large water storage capacity with a reticulation of 500 kilometers over 1,000 kilometers,’’ he said.
The commissioner also noted that there is synergy between the Anambra State fire service and the Federal fire service, which has now yielded dividends.
“It is based on the synergy that the Federal Fire Service has been motivated to provide two additional new fire trucks to the state,’’ he said.
– Jul. 20, 2020 @ 9:05 GMT
Tags: Anambra Fire Service is now better equipped to combat fires says Public Utilities - Commissioner
