The Nigerian Society of Engineers Oluyole Branch led by its Chairman , Engr. Abdulrasaq Jimoh FNSE, paid courtesy visit to Oyo State Fire Service on Tuesday, 11th February, 2020 as part of its community engineering activities and also to assess the state of the state’s fire service facilities.
The team, which also included the vice chairman, Engr Wale Ojoawo, FNSE, General Secretary, Engr Tobi Busari, MNSE, Ex. – officio 1, Engr. Samson Ganiyu Okunlola, MNSE and others expressed their displeasure at the deplorable conditions of the Fire fighting equipment in Oyo State.
The Chairman however, commended the staff in their operation units while also reserving special recognition to the brave personnel for their uncommon zeal to work despite the inadequacies of equipment. He also used the opportunity to praise the female staff for their dedication while urging the State Government to boast the service men and women with commensurate rewards and improved working conditions in order to motivate them to deliver better services.
The Oyo State Chief Fire Officer,Mr. Moshood Adewuyi, who received the team, thanked the Branch for the visit. He said the agency had long been abandoned by previous administration and hoped that the present State Government will restore the old glory of the Fire Services soonest.
Moshood announced that the state government under Gov. Seyi Makinde has secured five Fire Fighting trucks but yet to be branded. These were used during the recent fire outbreak at Ayede Transmission Station . That the procurement process of additional 10 modern vehicles are in top gear. He enjoined the engineers and the entire public to help increase Advocacy for Fire Prevention in our community and sensitize our them on various prevention methods.
He also advised politicians and electorates to place priority attention on fire outbreak remedies and emergencies during electioneering campaigns.
He emphasised that some of the unbranded vehicles within headquarters of the State Fire Services were deployed to curb fire razed transformer at Ayede and shops along Akala Express Way, Elebu areas of Ibadan last week as against the impressions of people from certain quarters that those vehicles were brought by other organisations domiciled in Oyo State.
It will be recalled that oyo state has experienced a few fire outbreaks in recent times with one of the incidences generating violent protest in the ancient town of Akesan in Oyo State after a popular market went up in flames.
