In a move aimed at ensuring a quick response, the Bauchi State House of Assembly on Wednesday at plenary resolved to remove the state Fire Service Department from the Ministry of Works and Transport and transfer it to the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), which is under the office of the state governor.
The resolution followed a motion to that effect brought under matters of urgent public importance by the member representing Azare/Madangala State Constituency, Tijjani Muhammad Aliyu, on the incessant fire incidents across the state, leading to deaths and destruction of properties as a result of dearth of firefighting equipment.
Leading debate on the motion, Aliyu, who is the Assembly’s Majority Leader, informed that many fire incidents occurred across the state in recent times.
He said one of the cardinal responsibilities of government is to protect the lives and property of the citizens, submitting, however, that management of fire service in the state is becoming very unfortunate.
Aliyu said because of the availability of fire fighting machines at The Federal Polytechnic and Abubakar Tatari Ali Polytechnic (ATAP), both in Bauchi, fire services were better in the state capital than in other parts.
According to him, “Fire safety is in a sorrowful situation in Bauchi State. The honourable House has deliberated many times about this matter but nothing is done to assuage that situation.
“I get a lot of criticisms from my constituents because there is no single functional fire service machine in the constituency and there are many fire incidents happening in the town.
“Recently, there was a fire incident in Matsango Azare and they are sharing the same wall with the fire service office but they have nothing to do because they don’t have the machines to fight the fire. They have only one tanker but they don’t have the machine to quench the fire.
“Even last week, there was a fire outbreak at the central motor park in Azare and nothing is done. Same story in Bauchi metropolis, many fire incidents.
“We have made efforts to get the government to do something about the situation but nothing is done.”
The majority leader then urged the House to ask the government to do something urgently about the situation since it is their responsibility to do so.
While saying that many development projects are ongoing in the state, Aliyu submitted that nothing was being done as far as fire fighting was concerned.
He declared that the fire fighting equipment needed to fight fire outbreaks would be up to 10 percent of the funds being expended on the projects being executed by the state government.
He then advised that more fire fighting machines and vehicles be provided in the state capital and each of the three senatorial zones in the state should be provided with fire fighting trucks and machines.
Responding to the motion, the Speaker, Abubakar Suleiman, commended the motion, which he said was very important because fire incidents were becoming rampant in the state.
“As I was coming to the office today, I saw a vehicle burnt to ashes around Ramadan Press. I believe if we have a functional fire service system, the damage would not reach that level,” he said.
On his part, the Deputy Speaker, Danlami Ahmed Kawule who is representing Zungur/Galambi Constituency in the House agreed that the matter needed urgent attention.
He added that if the motion passed by the Assembly to make fire service part of the State Management Agency (SEMA) instead of the Ministry of Works and Transport, fire incidents would be reduced.
Following contributions by members, the House unanimously approved the motion.
With the approval, the Speaker said that given the urgency and importance of the motion, he would personally sign the House resolution and take same to the state governor for prompt necessary action.
