Ruins of the Obingwa LGA headquarters inferno
Otti plans to equip Abia LGs with fire fighting trucks
From Boniface Okoro, umuahia
Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, has directed the Homeland Security to come with plans for providing at least one fire fighting truck for every local government area in the state.
Governor Otti gave the directive agaimst the backdrop of the fire outbreak at the Mgboko headquarters of Obingwa local government area last Thursday which left in its trail, destruction and ruin.
The Governor had paid an on-the-spot assessment of the fire incident that razed the Court registry, Works Department and National Youth Council buildings in the Obingwa Council Headquarters.
During the inspection, the Governor said that response to fire outbreaks would be swift if fight fighters are handy, instead of coming from long distances.
Governor Otti thanked his Special Assistant on Homeland Security, Fire and Emergency, Mr. Chinenye Anajemba, for responding quickly to the Obingwa fire distress call.
He also instructed the Homeland security boss to make arrangements so that every local government area in the State would have one fire truck so that the response time would be reduced.
“I believe that the fire truck came from Aba and it took some time to come from Aba to this place. Having said that, I thank God that it wasn’t worse than this,” he stated
The Governor regretted that equipment and office items were lost to the incident but thanked God that no life was lost during the inferno.
“We thank God that no life was lost even though properties particularly belonging to the court were burnt. I am happy that we didn’t lose anybody,” Gov. Otti stated.
He directed the Mayor of Obingwa Local Government Area, Hon. Maxwell Nwadike, to to fence the Council headquarters, providing for only one entrance, as well as one exit, to also guard against trespassing. Governor Otti added that armed security personnel would equally be deployed to secure the place.
“I have given clear instructions to the Mayor on how to secure this place, it has to be fenced round and trespassing will not be allowed going forward.
“We have to deploy armed security to this place, the idea would be that there would be only one entrance and one exit.
“It is still early days, investigations are going on and by the time investigations are through, we will know the cause of the fire incident,” Gov. Otti said.
He recalled that his administration had long flagged off the construction of new court halls across all the 17 local government areas and further instructed the Mayor to put pressure on the contractor handling the Obingwa Local Government Court Hall to expedite action on the project.
The Governor thanked Abia residents for their continued support to his administration, assuring them that the state government was committed to giving the people the much desired democracy dividends.
Conducting the Governor round the affected buildings, the Obingwa Mayor, Hon. Maxwell Nwadike, narrated that the inferno started in the early hours of penultimate Thursday, adding that he was alerted by youth corps members.
“It was in the early hours, precisely around 5am that I was told that the place (Council headquarters) is on fire. It was the youth corps members that alerted me and immediately we swung into action and called the Homeland Security. The SSA to the Governor on Homeland Security, I commend him (SSA) for responding immediately, if not, we would have had a lot of damages,” Hon. Nwadike said.
The Council boss disclosed that the fire affected the Court registry, Works Department and National Youth Council buildings. According to him, the level of damage was yet to be ascertained as investigations were yet onging.
The Mayor thanked Governor Alex Otti for coming to see things for himself and appreciated the Homeland Security for responding quickly.
