Benue Assembly Summons Fire Service Boss Over Poor Performance

Benue State House of Assembly has invited the commandant of the State Fire Service to appear before its Committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs to explain why it had performed below expectations during fire outbreaks.

The speaker, Hon Hyacinth Dajoh urged the House to set up a committee to investigate why the service was not living up to public expectations.

The invitation followed a motion by the member representing Buruku state constituency, Abraham Jabi who drew attention of the House to the inability of the Fire Service to respond to fire emergencies.

Moving the motion, Jabi informed the House that on July 24, 2023, fire broke out in the home of one Samuel Tough in Makurdi metropolis and all distress calls for the state fire fighters to intervene proved abortive.

According to him, a resident of Daniel Shinyi Street, opposite Hallydays Hotels, Makurdi had his house engulfed by fire due to an electrical fault and all distress calls to the state firefighters was ignored.

The House expressed worry that residents will be put at risk if such ugly trend is not checked.

He told the House that the victim had to run to the fire service office for help but was told that there was “no water, no tyres and no gas for its operations.”

He urged the House to invite the commandant to appear before them and explain the reasons for their inability to perform their duties when needed.

The speaker also urged the House to set up a committee to investigate why the station is not living up to public expectations.

Seconding the motion, Mr  Douglas Akya (Makurdi South/APC) said the motion should be fully supported, insisting that money is voted for fire service yearly but they always fail to perform their duties.

In a unanimous resolution, the House adopted the prayers by Jabi and referred the matter to the Committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs for further investigation.