HOUSE SUBMIT REPORTS ON FIRE SERVICE
RT. HON. DAVID LAWRENCE'S LED HOUSE COMMITTEE ON WORKS AND TRANSPORT HAS SUBMITTED HER REPORT ON A MOTION CAPTIONED "THE ABYSMAL PERFORMANCE OF AKWA IBOM STATE FIRE FIGHTING SERVICE UNIT IN ORON
LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA'
Written by Daniel Edon
The Akwa Ibom state House of Assembly's Committee on Works and Transport, under the Chairmanship of Rt. Hon. David Lawrence, yestetday, tuesday 14th. July 2020, in the Planery, submitted her Report on a Motion (HAM 115) captioned "The Abysmal Performance of Akwa Ibom State Fire Service Unit in Oron LGA", before the "House."
Recalled that during the planery of 23rd January, 2020, Rt. Hon. Effiong Bassey, a Member Representing ORON/UDUNG UKO State Constituency, brought a Motion of "Urgent Public Importance" on the "Abysmal Performance Of The Akwa Ibom State Fire Fighting Service Unit In Oron Local Government Area, which have resulted to lost of many lives and properties over the years.
Rt. Hon. Bassey had emphasized that there has been series of Fire outbreaks in Oron LGA in recent times and the repeated excuses from the Fire Unit has always been the absence of water tanker, no utility vehicles and other vital Fire-Fighting equipment for intervention. This he said has led to painful loss of lives and massivw properties.
The Lawmaker also brought to the fore that the Fire Unit has a yearly budgetary allocation every financial year for acquisition of Fire-Fighting equipment to enable them discharge it's function but pondered why such an essential and life-saving Service Provider be ill equipped.
Under the Motion, the Oron/ Udung Uko Lawmaker prayed that: the 7th Assembly should look critically into the matter and call Akwa Ibom State Fire Fighting Service to be more responsive and proactive in the discharge of their duties.
Satisfied with the motion that has to do with protection of human lives and properties, the Honourable Speaker, Rt. Hon. Aniekan Bassey, after listening carefully to the Motion, referred the Matter to the House Committee on Works/Transport for further Legislative Action, and to report back to the "House" within one month.
From that time, the Committee hit the ground running. Interfaced severally with the management of the State Fire Service and the Oron Unit.
During the interface with the management of the State Fire Service, the following observations were made by the Committee:
1. That there is dearth of functional fire appliances in the State. Though the Acting Director of Akwa Ibom State Fire Service has acquired 3 Fire Trucks since 2018, those Trucks are grossly inadequate.
2. That Fire Stations at Abak, Ikot Ekpene, Essien Udim, Itu, Eket, Etinan, including the House Of Assembly and the State Secretariat, Uyo, are without Foam Chemical Concentrates and new Fire trucks.
3. That the most Fire Trucks belonging to the Fire Service are either unserviceable or required maintenance to be able to function properly, especially during the harmattan/dry season.
4. That neither the Director nor any of the Heads of Unit in the State headquarters or LGAs has official vehicles.
5. That the workers that are routinely exposed to all manners of hazards, toxic wastes, injuries and even death, in the course of saving other people's lives and properties only receives Fifty thousands Naira (₦50,000) as hazard allowance.
6. That most of the Fire Stations in the State are grossly under-Staffed and their buildings are in dire need of renovations, making them ill-equipped to carry out their duties.
7. That for over 2 years, the Parastatal has not received has not received the approved budgetary allocation from the State Government
8. That the Staff of Fire Service needs training/capacity building to be better equipped and acquire competence to tackle/prevent Fire outbreak situation in the State.
Based on the above, the Committee therefore recommends as follows:
1. The Governor should graciously look into the plight of Fire Stations in the State.
2. That the Government should build new Fire Stations and Renovate existing ones to ensure that all Stations within the 31 LGA having State-Of-the-Art stations and Fire-fighting vehicles and equipment.
3. That the budgetary provisions made for Fire Service Department is released to enable them acquire necessary resources for their work.
4. That Official/Utility vehicles be provided to all Fire Stations in all LGAs to enhance their job performance.
5. That the Government should provide incentives (hazard, overtime, impress etc) to staff in view of the hazardous nature of their jobs and to motivate them towards increased service delivery.
In considering the 4-Page Report of the Committee, the House Of Assembly, at the Committee of the Whole, Chaired by the Honourable Speaker, adopted the report, through a "Move" by Rt. Hon. Mark Esset, the Member Representing Nsit-Atai State Constituency, and ably seconded by Rt. Hon. Bassey Archibong, the Member Representing Oruefong-Oruko State Constituency.
The motion therefore went through the 2nd reading.
LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA'
Written by Daniel Edon
The Akwa Ibom state House of Assembly's Committee on Works and Transport, under the Chairmanship of Rt. Hon. David Lawrence, yestetday, tuesday 14th. July 2020, in the Planery, submitted her Report on a Motion (HAM 115) captioned "The Abysmal Performance of Akwa Ibom State Fire Service Unit in Oron LGA", before the "House."
Recalled that during the planery of 23rd January, 2020, Rt. Hon. Effiong Bassey, a Member Representing ORON/UDUNG UKO State Constituency, brought a Motion of "Urgent Public Importance" on the "Abysmal Performance Of The Akwa Ibom State Fire Fighting Service Unit In Oron Local Government Area, which have resulted to lost of many lives and properties over the years.
 |
| The Speaker, Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Aniekan Bassey |
Rt. Hon. Bassey had emphasized that there has been series of Fire outbreaks in Oron LGA in recent times and the repeated excuses from the Fire Unit has always been the absence of water tanker, no utility vehicles and other vital Fire-Fighting equipment for intervention. This he said has led to painful loss of lives and massivw properties.
The Lawmaker also brought to the fore that the Fire Unit has a yearly budgetary allocation every financial year for acquisition of Fire-Fighting equipment to enable them discharge it's function but pondered why such an essential and life-saving Service Provider be ill equipped.
Under the Motion, the Oron/ Udung Uko Lawmaker prayed that: the 7th Assembly should look critically into the matter and call Akwa Ibom State Fire Fighting Service to be more responsive and proactive in the discharge of their duties.
 |
| Rt. Hon. David Lawrence |
Satisfied with the motion that has to do with protection of human lives and properties, the Honourable Speaker, Rt. Hon. Aniekan Bassey, after listening carefully to the Motion, referred the Matter to the House Committee on Works/Transport for further Legislative Action, and to report back to the "House" within one month.
From that time, the Committee hit the ground running. Interfaced severally with the management of the State Fire Service and the Oron Unit.
During the interface with the management of the State Fire Service, the following observations were made by the Committee:
1. That there is dearth of functional fire appliances in the State. Though the Acting Director of Akwa Ibom State Fire Service has acquired 3 Fire Trucks since 2018, those Trucks are grossly inadequate.
2. That Fire Stations at Abak, Ikot Ekpene, Essien Udim, Itu, Eket, Etinan, including the House Of Assembly and the State Secretariat, Uyo, are without Foam Chemical Concentrates and new Fire trucks.
3. That the most Fire Trucks belonging to the Fire Service are either unserviceable or required maintenance to be able to function properly, especially during the harmattan/dry season.
4. That neither the Director nor any of the Heads of Unit in the State headquarters or LGAs has official vehicles.
5. That the workers that are routinely exposed to all manners of hazards, toxic wastes, injuries and even death, in the course of saving other people's lives and properties only receives Fifty thousands Naira (₦50,000) as hazard allowance.
6. That most of the Fire Stations in the State are grossly under-Staffed and their buildings are in dire need of renovations, making them ill-equipped to carry out their duties.
7. That for over 2 years, the Parastatal has not received has not received the approved budgetary allocation from the State Government
8. That the Staff of Fire Service needs training/capacity building to be better equipped and acquire competence to tackle/prevent Fire outbreak situation in the State.
Based on the above, the Committee therefore recommends as follows:
1. The Governor should graciously look into the plight of Fire Stations in the State.
2. That the Government should build new Fire Stations and Renovate existing ones to ensure that all Stations within the 31 LGA having State-Of-the-Art stations and Fire-fighting vehicles and equipment.
3. That the budgetary provisions made for Fire Service Department is released to enable them acquire necessary resources for their work.
4. That Official/Utility vehicles be provided to all Fire Stations in all LGAs to enhance their job performance.
5. That the Government should provide incentives (hazard, overtime, impress etc) to staff in view of the hazardous nature of their jobs and to motivate them towards increased service delivery.
In considering the 4-Page Report of the Committee, the House Of Assembly, at the Committee of the Whole, Chaired by the Honourable Speaker, adopted the report, through a "Move" by Rt. Hon. Mark Esset, the Member Representing Nsit-Atai State Constituency, and ably seconded by Rt. Hon. Bassey Archibong, the Member Representing Oruefong-Oruko State Constituency.
The motion therefore went through the 2nd reading.
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