AKHA will work to reposition State Fire Service - Idongesit Ituen

The Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, AKHA, will work urgently to reposition the State Fire service for efficient performance. This assurance was given by the Chairman,
of the House Committee on Works and Transport, Hon. Idongesit Ituen, in a telephone conversation with our reporter.

Prince Ituen who led members of the Committee on a facility tour of the Uyo Divisional Fire Service station, and the state headquarters of the Akwa Ibom State Fire Service all located at Dominic Utuk Avenue in Uyo, said the Committee has mandated the Director of the State Fire Service to forward a detailed report on the operational challenges of the fire service to his Committee for necessary legislative action to be taken on the matter.

Prince Ituen who expressed delight at the synergy currently existing between the State Legislature and the Executive assured that, Governor Udom Emmanuel remains committed to delivering democracy dividends to the people and will readily collaborate with the House to revamp the State Fire service and put them in pole position to offer effective services and rapid response to emergency calls from the public.

He argued that, although the state of affairs in the Fire Service is not encouraging, there was no need for panic as his Committee will brief the House at plenary on its findings and proffer solutions to the problems faced by the service.

Hon. Ituen, who represents Itu state Constituency in the Assembly, was accompanied by other members of the committee including, the Deputy Chief Whip of the House and Member representing Eket State Constituency, Hon. David Lawrence and Hon. Otobong Jonathan Akpan, who represents Ukanafun State Constituency and Hon. Idongesit Ntekpere of Ikot Ekpene/Obot Akara State Constituency.

It will be recalled that, the House Committee, who were on a facility tour of the state fire service, to ascertain how up to date the fire service is in discharging its responsibility of emergency response and fire rescue operations especially in the state capital and other parts of the state.

They were received by the Director, Akwa Ibom State Fire Service, Elder Ndarake Udo Udo Ukpe, who thanked the committee members for undertaking the visit which he described as timely. Elder Ukpe had intimated the Committee members on the state of affairs of the fire stations across the state,listing shortage of manpower, non- functional fire fighting trucks, poor-funding of the fire service by government, and deplorable state of the office building housing the state headquarters of the Fire service along Dominic Utuk Avenue as challenges undermining operations of the service.