22/05/2023
ZAMFARA STATE FIRE SERVICE HEADQUARTERS, GUSAU
PRESS RELEASE
The attention of Zamfara state Fire Service has been drawn to a write-up recently in circulation in the Social Media platforms credited to Abdulrazak Bello Kaura, the Secretary of the Nigerian Union of Journalist, Northwest, raising some concerns about the operations of our Zonal Command in Kaura Namoda (Zamfara North). Specifically, Mr Bello is reacting to the inability of the command to respond to a fire incident that engulfed some shops in Kaura Namoda motor-park on the 18th of May 2023.
We regret the unfortunate incident and we wish to sympathize with the victims. However, we find it unfair to use this single or few (negative) scenarios to ridicule Kaura Namoda Zonal Fire Command and drag the entire Zamfara state Fire Service to the mud, while neglecting our years of unwavering commitments and efforts towards protecting lives and properties from destruction of fire.
For the record, from 2018 to date, Kaura Namoda Zonal Fire Command has unfailingly responded to 333 distress calls, rescued 25 lives and saved properties worth hundreds of millions of Naira across the areas of its responsibility. The command couldn’t respond to only 8 emergency calls (representing 2.3% of the total distress calls received), either due to logistical challenges or security concerns during the said period. We achieved this milestone by judicious use of the meager resources at our disposal, including the monthly cash allocation being received from the state government which Mr Bello is asking for its whereabouts. It therefore defies logic and principle of fairness to tag an organization with about 98% performance despite the odds as a "failed" institution.
In the write-up, the journalist confirmed lack of a water source in the command (which is not our prerogative to provide) and our officers have to travel to Kaura Namoda Dam, some kilometers away to source for water for its firefighting operations despite the security threats associated with this. Unfortunately, the so called development journalist couldn’t intervene in providing the water source or use his influence to facilitate the provision of water source to the command, unlike good citizens of other local governments such Anka (where the Emir graciously donated three motorcycles to their Fire Station), Maradun, Talata Mafara, Bakura and; Bungudu (where a concerned indigene renovated the entire Bungudu Fire station) as their contributions towards the efficient service delivery of the Fire service. We however, find it baseless to allege that an anonymous high ranking officer has sold-off some equipment meant for the smooth operation of the command including the submersible pump engine meant for pumping water from the borehole when the command does not even have a borehole.
We also wish to fault Mr Bello's claim that ''their'' fire truck(s) deployed to other parts of Zamfara state should be brought back to Kaura Namoda. We wish to state categorically that Zamfara state Fire Service is serving the entire people of Zamfara and its resources are not exclusive rights of any particular local government or community. The Executive Director Fire Service being the Chief Fire Officer of the state has the prerogative to deploy available firefighting resources to any of the 14 LGs in the state when deemed necessary.
Zamfara state Fire Service welcomes meaningful suggestions and interventions that will help the service to improve on its service delivery but will not condone any attempt by any individual to ridicule its efforts. We wish to assure the good people of Zamfara that we remain ready and very committed towards protecting your lives and properties using the available resources at our disposal.
HFS. MUSA GARBA BALA
Fire Prevention and Public Enlightenment Officer
Zamfara State Fire Service
MAY 22, 2023
