‘It is even more worrisome that firefighters are still being paid monthly salaries despite having no equipment or logistics to carry out their duties. This raises an important question: why should the government continue to sustain a payroll system that funds personnel who have no tools to serve the people?’
A CALL FOR STATE OF EMERGENCY IN THE AKWA IBOM STATE FIRE SERVICE
Following a recent independent survey on the condition of fire service stations across Akwa Ibom State, the results are deeply disturbing and call for urgent government intervention indeed, a state of emergency.
My findings show that 98 percent of fire service stations across the Local Governments of Akwa Ibom State are in an appalling state of neglect. Many of the supposed fire service offices are ghost stations without functional fire trucks, water sources, modern communication equipment, or trained response personnel. In some locations, the fire service buildings are dilapidated, serving only as symbols of government presence rather than centers of safety.
It is even more worrisome that firefighters are still being paid monthly salaries despite having no equipment or logistics to carry out their duties. This raises an important question: why should the government continue to sustain a payroll system that funds personnel who have no tools to serve the people? This situation not only reflects inefficiency in public administration but also exposes citizens to unimaginable risks.
The Human Cost of Neglect
The absence of a functional fire service is not a minor administrative issue — it is a looming humanitarian disaster. Fire outbreaks have become a recurring nightmare in many parts of Akwa Ibom: markets razed, homes destroyed, and families rendered homeless overnight. In most cases, fire service officers arrive late or not at all, simply because there are no trucks, no water, or no means of communication.
When a fire breaks out in a community and there is no response team, the outcome is predictable people lose lives, businesses collapse, and communities are thrown into mourning. The trauma that follows lingers for years. Children who lose parents in such incidents become dependents of society. Traders who lose their entire goods may never recover financially. This is why fire safety is not just a technical matter; it is a matter of human survival.
Administrative Misplacement
At present, the Fire Service operates under the Ministry of Works in Akwa Ibom State ,an arrangement that has proven ineffective. The Ministry of Works is primarily focused on construction, infrastructure, and engineering projects. Fire and safety management require specialized expertise, dedicated funding, and focused policy direction, which cannot thrive under a ministry already burdened with road and infrastructure responsibilities.
This misplaced administrative structure has resulted in neglect, underfunding, and lack of coordination. As a result, the Akwa Ibom Fire Service has remained stagnant for years, unable to fulfill its critical mandate of protecting lives and properties.
A Call for State of Emergency and Reform
In view of these alarming realities, I am calling on the Akwa Ibom State Government under the leadership of His Excellency, Pastor Umo Eno, to declare a state of emergency on fire service operations in the state and take the following actions without delay:
Remove the Fire Service from the Ministry of Works and create an independent Fire Service Commission or a Ministry of Fire and Safety Services to give the agency autonomy, focus, and direct government attention.
Conduct a statewide audit of all fire service stations, equipment, and personnel to ascertain true capacity and immediate needs.
Provide new, modern fire trucks and rehabilitate existing ones for each senatorial district as a start.
Rehabilitate and equip all fire stations across the 31 LGAs with water reservoirs, communication gadgets, and power supply.
Recruit and train new officers, ensuring proper welfare, hazard insurance, and modern firefighting techniques.
Establish fire hydrants and water points in urban centers, markets, and public institutions for quicker response.
Launch a state-wide fire safety education campaign to raise public awareness on fire prevention and emergency response.
The Moral Obligation of Governance
Governance is not only about building roads and inaugurating projects; it is about protecting the lives and safety of the people. A government that invests in fire safety is a government that values human life and economic stability.
The truth is simple, without a functional fire service, Akwa Ibom State is sitting on a time bomb. Every home, every market, every business center is at risk. We cannot continue to ignore this danger. If a major fire disaster strikes today in any of the 31 LGAs, we will not only lose property , we may lose faith in governance itself.
Therefore, it is time for decisive leadership. It is time to act.
Let Akwa Ibom rise and say: never again shall fire destroy our people because of government negligence.
By Sir Unyime Ekwere, KSJI, MNIPR, MCPDM
Public Relations and Safety Advocate
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