Ekiti Government Moves To Avert Fire Disasters

L-R: Speaker, Ekiti State House of Assembly, ESHA, Dr. Adewale Omirin; Governor Kayode Fayemi; Commissioner for Special Duties, Wole Adewunmi; Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji (Dr) Ganiyu Owolabi; Deputy Speaker, ESHA, Mr. Adetunji Orisalade; and Commissioner for Environment, Dr. Eniola Ajayi, during the Commissioning of Fire Fighting Trucks and Ambulances for the use of the Emergency Agency, in Ado-Ekiti.

The Ekiti State Government has strengthened the State Fire and Paramedic Services with the training of its personnel and equipment of the Emergency agency with six ambulances and seven fire fighting trucks.

The gesture is aimed at averting loss of lives and property of the citizenry to  avoidable fire and other disasters.

Speaking at the commissioning of the fire fighting trucks and the closure of training for 115 fire cadets and 40 paramedic corps, the State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi stated that the gesture is in demonstration of the seriousness of his government in securing the lives and property of residents, even as government engaged the services of American and Israeli consultants in training the personnel in modern techniques of combating emergencies and getting people out of mishaps and fire incidences.

The Governor added that the ambulance bays built in five locations across the state are ready for use to ease the discomfort experienced by fire officials from Ado, Ikere and Ikole in responding to distress calls from other locations where fire stations are not available.

 He stated that the Ministry of Special Duties has been directed to embark on the construction of new fire stations in Ijero and Omuo as well a explore the possibility of building more Ambulance Bays in a few other locations next year.

“I wish to recall that on our assumption of office, the Fire Service stations in Ekiti state were ill-equipped and deplorable conditions, and their operatives were incapable of carrying out effective rescue operations to protect lives and property during emergencies. This has been the reason for the resolve of this administration to pay closer attention to safeguarding lives and property in Ekiti State in the possible advent of calamities”, he said.

Meanwhile the Governor has directed the Ministry of Special Duties to work out modalities for absorbing some of the fire cadets and paramedics as permanent staff of the government in tune with the available personnel vacancies for the two cadres in 2014.

Earlier, the Commissioner for Special duties, Mr Wole Apalara stated that as part of the collective rescue mission of the Fayemi-led administration, the Ministry of Special Duties now supervises the State Emergency Management Agency and Fire Service Department for a holistic approach towards emergencies.

Also speaking, the Chairman of Council of Traditional rulers  in the State and Onitaji of Itaji Ekiti, Obama Adamo Babalola commended Fayemi on the “new developments that are daily unfolding” in the State.

 He expressed satisfaction at the equipping of fire stations across the state and assured that the traditional rulers would give him total support to transform the State into a cynosure.

Last modified: October 27, 2013