Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has declared that the state is no longer dependent on oil multinationals for firefighting services.
Governor Fubara made this statement on Tuesday during the commissioning of the Rivers State Fire Service Headquarters and newly acquired fire service vehicles in Port Harcourt.
Reflecting on past incidents, he lamented the loss of lives and property due to the absence of a well-equipped fire service.
Fubara emphasized that his administration has now bridged this gap by providing state-of-the-art firefighting facilities to enhance emergency response and protect residents.
He dismissed attempts by his detractors to discredit his leadership, stating that the people of Rivers State are satisfied with his administration’s performance.
Fubara said, “We are not interested in whether those people who are commissioned to undermine us are unhappy. That is not our business. Our business is about Rivers State and Rivers people.”
Fubara assured that every essential component required for a modern and efficient fire service has been provided.
The governor also underscored the importance of productivity in the sector, expressing concern over past instances where fire service workers received salaries without actively contributing to public safety.
The governor urged the managers of the new facility to ensure its proper maintenance and protection.
He further announced that two additional remodeled fire stations would be commissioned in the coming days.
“For our good people, this is one of the many, many things that we signed off on the 29th of May, in the year of our Lord 2023, to protect life, to defend the constitution, and to ensure that basic amenities are provided, unbiased, to the good people of Rivers State.
“Let me thank you for your support and say a little: for the managers of this facility, please don’t treat it like any other thing. Take it personally, safeguard it, protect it.
“Realize that you are also somebody in whose hands the lives of our good people have been entrusted, because if this fire service is not functioning, we would lose lives, and properties would be lost.
“So, take this as a personal assignment. I cannot reward you; it is the good Lord who will repay you for your services.”