By Efa Sunday And Mary Omani
The Assistant Director, Cross River State Fire Service, Public Relations Officer, Mr. Makperr Cletus Abine, has decried the deplorable condition of fire service equipments in the State, describing them as “monument-al machines.”
Mr. Makperr while speaking to CrossRiverWatch, on why the fire service had refused to come to the rescue of one Mrs. Monaku Erima, whose properties worth hundreds of thousands were destroyed to fire outbreak, said that the State of fire equipments in the Cross River State is not encouraging.
He added that Government had long come to their aid, and this has necessitated all their workers to contribute some money to put an old truck back in shape, so as to enable them do their duty.
His words: “It has been long we last saw imprest to even run this office. Series of letters have been written and nothing is done. We even taxed ourselves from our take home that cannot take us out of this office, to try to fix one of the old trucks there in our operations office, so that we can respond to some of the calls coming from people.”
He added that, “I was recently suspended from this office for crying out for help from the government. Sometimes when people call to inform us of a situation, and we don’t go, it’s not because we are lazy, my men are gallant, and ever ready to work, but there are no functional machines” He added
In the same vein, the Commander of the Operation Section, Mrs. Elizabeth Ironbar Aborisade, confirmed to newsmen that “we need help. Everything you see in this office now is my personal properties. If I leave this office today, the next person coming in here would come with his/her own things to fix this place to his/her taste.”
Elizabeth has therefore called on the State Government, led by the Senator Ben Ayade, to assist the establishment with funds and machines that would help them come to the rescue of citizens, adding that “I pray any of them doesn’t fall victim of fire accident.”
Reporters from CrossRiverWatch were conveyed round the premises by a fireman.
Below are some exclusive pictures taken by our reporters from the Head Office (Marian road, opposite Road Safety) and Operation Office (Mary Slassor road opposite College of Health Technology).
