Rebuilding efforts are on in Ekiti State. Governor Kayode Fayemi has revived infrastructure, built new roads and rehabilitated bad ones. Schools are getting a lift. The health scheme has caught on, and the elderly have cause to smile.
Yet, there is more. No fewer than 153 recruits have been engaged and are being trained in both the fire department and paramedical section. The aim is to boost emergency management in the two areas, and help implement the Fayemi administration’s plan.
The recruits will complement existing personnel in the state fire service department who are equally undergoing refresher courses.
The exercise, which lasts five weeks, is part of the ongoing overhaul of emergency fire and ambulance services in the state that has already procured state-of-the-art fire-fighting trucks, well-fortified emergency ambulances and allied equipment and complementary renovation of fire stations in Ado-Ekiti, Ikere-Ekiti and other local governments.
Speaking at the event, the state Deputy Governor Mrs. Funmi Olayinka emphasised the importance the state government attaches to security of life and property.
Mrs. Olayinka recalled that a similar training had been organised in February for officers and men of the fire service on the operations of a high-tech fire-truck donated to the state by friends of Governor Kayode Fayemi in the diaspora.
She explained that training the new recruits would provide much needed technical knowledge during fire rescue operations, road accidents and other related emergency services.
Appealing to the people of the state to be conscious of security, the Deputy Governor charged them to avoid creating hazardous situations that could lead to unpleasant consequences
She said: “It is for the reason of safeguarding life and property of our people that government is doing all within available resources to develop appropriate manpower and put the right facilities in place to ensure efficiency and effectiveness.
“It may interest you to know that a total number of 1000 candidates were subjected to written a test out of which 400 were invited for interview based on their performance. However, only about 150 could be accommodated in the two categories of fire services and medical ambulance services,” Olayinka said.
She also urged residents to alert the appropriate security and emergency management outfits on time for necessary intervention, warning that they avoid creating situations which can possibly lead to emergencies.
She explained that the event was just another effort of Governor Fayemi’s 8-point agenda.
The Commissioner for Special Duties, Dr. Wole Olugboji commended the governor for his commitment to human capital development and high regard for safetyin Ekiti which he said informed the latest effort.
He explained that the training programme is a follow-up on the recruitment of fire officers and paramedics to prepare them adequately for the challenges and technicalities involved in fire incidences, medical emergencies and other disasters.
Noting that the Department of Fire Services in Ekiti State, before Governor Fayemi’s intervention, could not boast of adequate personnel to carry out rescue operations, Olugboji said the new recruits are to raise the preparedness of the services to handle fire and other related disasters and emergency situations in the state.
He said five fire-fighting engines, six sophisticated ambulances, three water tankers to serve as back-up to the fire trucks and associated accessories, have all been ordered to give emergency services a sound footing in the state.
“Other decision being taken by this administration to address emergency situations across the state,” according to Olugboji, “is the renovation of the 3 existing Fire Stations at Ikere, Ikole and Ijero while the ambulance bays to serve as points for the state Emergency Ambulance Services, are already undergoing necessary renovation.
“Clearly in line with other critical interventions in other sectors of the state and in furtherance of government’s employment generation programmes across ministries, departments and agencies through which nearly 20,000 had already been engaged in various fields and vocations, the latest effort while serving the immediate emergency purpose will further deplete already significantly depleted population of the unemployed in the state”, he noted.
In his own remarks, the Lead Consultant of Magen and AA Disasters and Emergency Management Limited, a German firm and handlers of the training, Mr. Alony Moshe, said his organistaion was ready to give the best orientation in terms of theoretical and modern training.
Other state officials at the event included the Commissioner for Information and Civic Orientation, Mr. Funminiyi Afuye, State Director of Fire Services, Mr. P.O. Dada, permanent secretaries, among others.
