Oyebanji Strengthens Fire Fighting Service with Eight Vehicles

Gbenga Sodeinde in Ado Ekiti

Towards ensuring the fulfilment of the promise to reposition the state Fire Services for quick response to distressed calls and emergency situations, the Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, has strengthened the agency with eight firefighting equipment.

Giving the breakdown of the fleet while test running the vehicles in Ado Ekiti last Friday, the state Commissioner for Infrastructure and Public Utilities, Prof. Bolaji Aluko, said the new vehicles consist of refurbished six fire-fighting trucks and two water tankers to be deployed to various offices for effective emergency responses.

Aluko had in a meeting held with the state Fire Service personnel during the 2024 work-plan meeting of the ministry, said the parastatal has been making remarkable strides under Oyebanji administration by swiftly responding to the yearnings of the citizens.

He stated that Governor Oyebanji, during a visit to the Ado Fire Service headquarters,  promised that the state Fire Services would be better equipped, describing the procurement as keeping to the pledge made during the assessment tour.

With the new equipment and many still in the pipeline, Aluko urged the personnel to work collaboratively with all stakeholders to achieve a high fire safety status across the state.

“I encourage the Fire Service personnel  to focus more on fire prevention and safety to reduce the incidents of fire outbreaks and distressed calls in the state by making judicious use of these equipment,” he said.

While test-running the equipment during a fire fighting platform and fire drilling exercise in Ado-Ekiti, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Olumide Ajayi, charged the officers of the Service to  discharge their duties maximally,  especially in times of emergencies.

In his remarks, the Special Adviser/Director General, Office of Transformation and Service Delivery, Dr. John Ekundayo, commended the efforts of the state government for repairing the faulty fire-fighting equipment.