Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt

Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara has donated a high capacity firefighting truck to the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria(FAAN) to help in improving safety of flight operations at the Port Harcourt International Airport in Omagwa.

Fubara gets criticisms for the moribund State Fire Service that has no functional firefighting trucks to respond to fire emergencies.

Governor Fubara made the presentation of the fire truck to the Director of Airport Operations, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) Captain Muye Muktar at Government House in Port Harcourt.

The governor, who officially handed over the documents of the truck to FAAN as proof that the original ownership has been transferred, said the fire truck should serve as an upgrade of such infrastructure at the airport, while it fosters safety and improves security of flight operations.

Governor Fubara expressed the hope that the truck will help in solving the immediate needs and most of the remote problems that cause slag in operations at the airport and pledged further support in the coming days when necessary.

“I stand here, on behalf of the government and good people of our dear state to officially handover this document showing the official proof that this fire tender that we have acquired has been given to you to carry on with your activities.

“This fire tender is to support the service of the Airport authority. It is for the effective running of the airport , and also to upgrade facilities at the airport for the benefit of Rivers people.

“We wish that it will also help in solving the immediate needs and mostly the remote problems of operations at the airport is facing. We assure you that, going forward, if there is any other thing we can do to help your services, we will be willing to offer support.”

Director of Airport Operations of the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) Captain Muye Muktar thanked the governor for the donations and said that it will solve the problem of a lack of such equipment at the airport.

Captain Muktar also assured that there will be more availability of international airlines in the State in order to ease the stress of travellers going either to Lagos or Kano before they can catch an airline for international travel.

“These equipment are extremely very expensive. So, as he said, he has done his own to us and we are doing our own for the best and are going to make sure that we remove the burden of stress on the people in this region to stop driving all the way to Lagos or Kano to fly international.

“We are going to make sure they with this kind of support, we will give our support so that most if the international airlines that you guys are going out of Rivers State to fly will come into Rivers State and fly directly to where you are going to and bring you back here.”

However, the donation by Governor Fubara has elicited negative reactions from respondents to the Governor’s Facebook page on the donations.

One Ini Elijah, said “Charity begins at home. That Airport has been renamed and like the federal roads, it is the prerogative of the Federal Government. Tackle the issue of the poor state of Rivers State fire service, pay LGA retirees their Pension arrears and gratuities”.

Ogbondah Foby in his comment asks:What happened to Rivers state fire service?

Raphael Kachi Tobin says “Rivers state fire service should be refurbished because that’s where you people politicians use.No fire tender, no water tank for Rivers state fire service.

You people should continue to playing with the life if Rivers people.Governance is all about the politicians.

On his part, Ejikeme Woryi,said “,But our state fire service have no fire engine”.

Brown Nengi,congratulates the
Governor,but urges him to also try to refurbish state fire service and establish LGA fire service to create employment and service for our people
God bless and preserve you.
I urge you sir to call all LGA Chairmen to have at least one fire station in their respective LGAs for quick response in cases of emergencies.

Our Correspondent reports the over the years, the State Fire Service has no functional fire fighting trucks. Several cases of fire incidents did not get emergency responses from the state fire service to put out the fire. Victims of fire disasters say it was only Federal Fire Service, Shell,Agip and other companies that usually respond to distress call.