18/12/2025
Mockery Of A State: Misplaced Priorities Left Auchi People In Tears And Sorrow As Edo State Can't Boast Of A Functional Fire Service
How Did We Get Here?
By Yamah Abdulateef
It is no longer news that Auchi town was in flame as a result of fuel that sipped out of the tank of one articulated vehicle along the Okene - Auchi - Benin Expressway. The agonizing thing about the inferno is the damage to properties, businesses and means of livelihood.
One had wondered, with a tap of the finger, swift response and rescue would have followed, but none happened, while the fire still rages. This is because, there is no functional fire service in Edo State and by extension, in Auchi and it's environ.
Shameful? yes it is. It will be fast to relate this with the past administrations before now as to why we don't have a reliable fire service in Edo State. At this point in time, this is failure of governance if that inferno was still raging after 24 hours and no attempt to put it off.
The question is, how much does it take to get 6 functional fire stations in Edo North that the banks, churches, schools, hotels and bars can't afford, if not for penny wise, pounds foolish. Yet, attention is being given to specifics that have no value to humanity.
Aside this, why not invest in fire hydrants that will help in fire prevention and fire fighting Incase of any disaster, yet, they are priding themselves as know-it-all, without knowing anything.
This might be another route to postpone the evil days, as the preparedness of the Edo State Government is not a reassuring one to ensure that safety is top on their priority. This is part of the ignorance of the State Government because, Lagos State alone competes with the Federal fire service with modern appliances that are swift in responding to fire outbreak and not the Bedford and HCB Angus spec of fire fighting appliances and engines.
Bad as things have become, the comatose state of the fire agency is so evident that nobody cares if it exists, owing to the making of the previous administration which this present one has taken a queue from.
However, silence has being trademark on this issue, definitely, it will happen again, and this poor attitude will resurface without sanction and probe and everyone move on as if nothing had happened.
The big issue is, is this how things will be changing and still remain the same? So appalling and disgusting, what will the state government give as excuse for not having a first line charge for fighting and preventing fire in the state.
The governor should shamelessly ask the Lagos State Government how they have been able to maintain a state fire service with state of the art equipment and gadgets that are modern day fire fighting compliant.
As this had come and gone, Edo people hope that such a disgrace will not happen again without any challenge from the Edo State Fire Service. While those in authority from Edo North, pull their resources and connections together to build standard fire stations across the local government in the zone. Only this, will help to mitigate against poor turn out to fire ground.
