Cross River lawmakers call for resuscitation of moribund fire stations in the state
The Cross River State House of Assembly (CRSHA) has called on the Senator Bassey Edet Otu administration to revamp fire fighting stations in the Local Government Areas of the State.
This call is not unconnected with the frequency of fire incidences across the state in recent times especially since the beginning of the year.
A member representing Abi state constituency and the Deputy Speaker of Cross River State House of Assembly Rt. Hon. Davies Eta who was at the scene of fire incident that gutted Songhai Farm in Itigidi expressed shock at the level of damage done to infrastructures in the farm by the inferno and called on the state government as matter of urgent importance to revamp moribund fire fighting stations in the 18 local government areas in the state and equip them with fire fighting vehicles and equipment with trained staff to respond to fire incidents in real time to avoid huge financial loses.
In one of the incidences, fire destroyed the whole academic complex of Steady Flow College of Education, Akparabong in Ikom Local Government Area of Cross River State affecting facilities worth millions of naira in the private-owned institution which include lecture halls, offices as well as several other valuable properties.
However, an eye witness Ada Agbor, said it was bush fire that crept into the school premises and destroyed the facilities.
Founder of the College and one-time National Assembly member representing Boki/Ikom Federal Constituency, Hon. Jones Tangban, attributed the fire to indiscriminate bush burning.
He called on the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the Cross River State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) to wade into the matter so that the institution can be re-opened soon.
“We just thank God that no life was lost. We need state and federal government agencies to come to our aid because resumption is affected by the destruction of facilities at the college.
By: Archibong Emmanuel
(Snr. Reporter)
