By Deborah Nnamdi
Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara has expressed regrets that, for over 12 years, the state-owned Fire Service Stations were left in limbo.
Fubara, who spoke through a statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Nelson Chukwudi, assured that the ongoing rehabilitation will be concluded and the Stations ready for public use in the first week of March 2025.
He gave the assurance when he embarked on an inspection tour of the three Fire Service Stations to assess the extent of work done with the ongoing remodeling expansion and reconstruction activities on the sites on Monday.
The governor visited the Stations located beside the Isaac Boro Park/Mile One flyover, Borokiri in the old Port Harcourt Township and Rumuodomaya Community, all in Port Harcourt and Obio/Akpor Local Government Areas.
Fubara explained that with the ongoing work, the three major Fire Service Stations will be put into effective state to provide quick response to fire incidents in the State.
He said, “For a very long time, we have had this situation that we have to depend on the multi-nationals; Shell, Agip and Chevron and even (Elf) TotalEnergies at that time, including to respond to fire incidents in the State.
“From what we have seen today, we can confirm that the contractor is working very hard to meet the deadline. We must, I repeat, we must commission this project first week in March.”
Fubara said it was the government’s responsibility to have such facilities that provide vital social services available to the people to address fire incidents when they occur.
He assured that his administration is reversing the utter neglect such social services had suffered, and ensuring that Rivers people will, in no distant future, begin to benefit from the Stations.
Fubara said, “As a matter of fact, I can boldly say that Rivers State has not had a functional Fire Service for the past 12 years. We are a government, and amongst our responsibilities, is to protect lives and property. Issues of fire incidents could be a result of some mistakes in our homes.
“So, we must make sure that we are prepared to combat it whenever it occurs. We are trying to make sure that we do not depend again on the multi-nationals, but be ready and prepared to save lives and property of Rivers people.”
The governor was accompanied by Tamunosisi Gogo-Jaja, former Commissioner for Water Resources; and the Commissioner for Special Duties, Samuel Anya.
